Professor Potter
by swissdog
Summary: This is a sequel to Harry's Future where we follow Harry in his career as a magical educator, researcher and family man
1. Chapter 2

The following story is a sequel to "Harry's Future". **IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ "HARRY'S FUTURE" FIRST, OTHERWISE THIS STORY WON'T MAKE MUCH SENSE. **It is of course based on the original characters and backdrops created by J.K. Rowling. Enjoy.

Professor Potter, Chapter 1

"I am Harry James Potter and I stand before you as the greatest wizard on life. I proclaim myself your lord and king."

Professor Harry Potter stood before his class of fifth year Applied Magic students on the first day of classes of the new term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was his first class as a full time professor. He had waited until all his students had found seats and then walked in and with a wave of his wand closed all the window blinds and dimmed the lights. He strode to the raised dais upon which his desk sat and held his wand aloft and muttered 'lumos' to provide a bright spotlight for himself.

After making his pronouncement he looked down at the faces of the young witches and wizards sitting in the dim light, many with mouths open and all with eyes wide. He scowled down at them and demanded,

"Why do you sit there and stare like that? Isn't what I say true? Have I not defeated two powerful dark wizards? Have I not killed a dragon by the power of my magic alone? Have I not created new ways of teaching magic? Why should I not be the king of wizardom?"

Some of the wide open eyes blinked in confusion and one brave soul raised a wavering hand and said,

"Because that's not who you are, sir. You're Harry Potter, sir."

"Of course, I'm Harry Potter. I've only just said that. Why would I say these things if they weren't true?" he insisted.

A low voice from the back of the room said,

"Because you fell off your broom and landed on your head?"

The several gasps that followed this suggestion were low but were deafening in comparison to the silence that fell afterwards. Harry brightened his wand with a thought and the whole room was flooded with white light. He thought he knew who had suggested the head injury and when he looked at him, the young wizard flushed and his eyes darted away but the words had their effect. Harry's stern visage softened and he laughed a bit. He extinguished the light and with a casual flick of his ironwood wand he opened the blinds and brought the lights up, filling the room with a more friendly illumination.

"Considering my history, that's not such a farfetched idea, Mr. Kingsforth. But no, I haven't done that recently so we need to look elsewhere. Would anyone care to suggest what my reasoning was?" Harry asked in his usual tone of voice.

"Um, you were having a go at us, sir?" the young witch who had originally spoken offered.

"It is true that I'm in a good mood and very happy to be back here for the start of the new term, but that's only a small part of it. Anyone else?" he asked.

A wizard sitting towards the front said,

"You're trying to teach us something."

"Correct," Harry said as he pulled over the stool that he usually sat on in front of the class when he was lecturing. "I realize that's a terrible thing for a teacher to do, particularly so early into the first day of class, but there we are. So what am I trying to teach you?

"The likelihood of a dark witch or wizard openly proclaiming themselves in such a manner is pretty small. Even then it would most probably only come after a lot of preparation had been done in secrecy. Our old friend Tom Riddle, the late Lord Voldemort, spent decades learning what he needed to know, gathering in his followers and laying his plans before he became an open threat, and even then it was only acknowledged by a relative handful of people who tried to oppose him. Even his short lived takeover of the Ministry was accomplished through surrogates," Harry said looking at the faces in front of him.

"The signs that something is afoot are likely to be little things. Someone's changed behavior, comments that don't ring true, and so on. These are the kinds of things that we have to pay attention to."

"But how are we supposed to know if it's something to do with the dark arts and not just someone acting odd because they're just odd?" a young witch asked.

"That's a very good question, Miss Jones. And unfortunately I don't have a very good answer for you. You are right. Sometimes something that strikes us as out of the ordinary or suspicious is just that, out of the ordinary. But once you hear it you should pay attention and see if it's more than that. One thing I will tell you though, is that you should trust your feelings. If something seems wrong to you, it probably is."

From the looks he was getting he could tell that the impact of his opening dramatics had worn off and he launched into his prepared lecture, punctuated often by questions and comments from the students, just the way he liked it.

His second class of the morning was his first class ever for Transfiguration. Over the summer he had been going over his textbook and old notes and had had a number of communications with the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, and he felt he had things in hand, but he was still just a touch nervous. In this case he was able to get to the classroom before the first years arrived and he was sitting on the edge of the desk as they entered.

"Hello there, first years. Welcome to Transfiguration. Please find a seat and we'll get started."

It was a mixed group of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors and based on their expressions, about a third looked like they were from non magical families. The youngsters took their seats and sat expectantly looking at Harry.

"Good morning. I'm Professor Potter and this, of course, is Transfiguration. Would anyone like to tell us what transfiguration is?" he asked with a smile.

Several hands went up and Harry picked a Hufflepuff wizard near the front of the class. He was a wiry redhead that reminded Harry of a young Ron Weasley. The boy stood up and said,

"Transfiguration is using magic to make something into something else. Um, sir."

"That's right, very good, and your name, please?" Harry asked.

"Um, it's Winston, sir, Philip Winston."

"Thank you, Mr. Winston, well done you," he said then looked to the others. "Simply put that's exactly right, when you transfigure something, you use magic to turn one thing into another. Now, you might ask yourself why would you want to change one thing into another? One answer would be if you only have a needle and you need a match it would be helpful, I suppose, to know how to change one into the other," he said as he held up a needle and with a flick of his wand turned it into a wooden match.

This demonstration got a number of 'oohs' and 'aahs' as well as a 'cool'. One young witch sitting towards the back had a look of concentration and then raised her hand.

"Yes?" Harry said.

"Um, excuse me, sir, but if I had my wand and needed to light something, couldn't I just use it instead of making a match?"

"Yes, you could. On the other hand, if you had the match and needed the needle to sew something up, your wand wouldn't be a very good substitute but your point is well taken and it brings me to the other reason why we'll work on such things," he said putting down the match and tucking his wand away as he began to slowly pace along the aisles between the desks.

"Transfiguration is more than just being able to make one thing into another. Quite frankly, with a wand and good mastery of Charms you'd be able to do most anything that way than by having to make something you needed. What is truly important about transfiguration is that it teaches you how to go about working with magic in a way that is not just remembering the name of a charm and how to wave your wand. Let me see," Harry said. "I assume all of you have had some schooling in maths, correct?"

Everyone nodded.

"I don't suppose anyone doubted why it was important to learn how to do the basics like addition, subtraction and so on. But what about some of the other things like sets and unions and word problems and so forth? Did you ever wonder or ask why you needed to know that?" he asked.

A number of the students nodded.

"And what were you told when you asked?"

"I was told that if I wanted to be an engineer or a scientist I needed to know all that sort of stuff," a young wizard that was among those Harry thought were non magical born replied.

"Ok, yes, that's part of it, anyone else?" he prompted.

No one else offered anything more.

"Well, I was told that even if you never used all that 'other stuff' again learning how to use it would teach you how to solve all kinds of problems. It would teach you how to look at a big problem, and I don't necessarily mean a maths problem, and to be able to break it into smaller pieces and solve those little pieces and then you'd have the big problem solved. Transfiguration is like that. It teaches you how to look at the magic you want to make, in this case, what do I have and what do I want it to become, and how to work your way through that process."

Harry was saying this as he moved amongst the students who were turning their heads and watching him intently. Unseen in the room, as she was sitting atop a tall cabinet, tucked back into the shadows near the wall, was a striped cat with marks around its eyes that looked curiously like spectacles. At the moment she was doing all she could to keep from purring aloud.

"So, what I want you to do is pick up the needle that is on the desk in front of you, and please be careful not to poke yourself, and just look at it. Fix the image of the needle in your mind so that if you close your eyes you'll still be able to see it. Take a few minutes and work on that."

After some time was spent on the needle, Harry put out a match for each student and had them work on fixing the image of the match in their minds. Now came the hard part. He asked them to try and imagine how the process would look where the needle slowly changed into the match. To help them he worked the transfiguration process slowly so they could see how the needle expanded in size and the look of it changed.

He then had them take out their wands and after explaining how to apply the wand to the needle had them try making the change. As expected only two were able to get any kind of change going and in those cases it was only partial. After watching and some coaching, Harry brought them to a stop.

"Ok, everyone, that's enough for today. I'd like to ask you all a question. How many of you have what would be considered an artistic temperament? By that I mean do you draw or paint or play a musical instrument."

About a third of the students raised their hands, including the two who managed a partial change. Harry nodded and said,

"Transfiguration is very much a part of the art of magic. Even though I used the maths analogy before it's very much about visualization and even a healthy dose of imagination. For those of you who just raised your hand, I'd think that part of it was easier for you than the others. I ask that you share that with your classmates and help them. I also know someone who's very good, gifted in fact, with regard to visualizing and I think I can get her to help us out, but for now try and work on it together. Alright? Good. That's enough for today. For homework make sure you have read through chapter one in your text and answer the questions at the end. Off you go and enjoy the rest of your day."

Harry watched as the students gathered their things and filed out of the room. He collected up the matches and needles and in the case of the two that were semi transfigured he turned them back to true needles. He then gathered his own things and made his way to the door. Just before he exited he looked towards the shadow on top of the cabinet and with a half smile said,

"And a very good day to you, Headmistress."

He smiled wider when he heard the startled 'meep' and then left the room. Once the room was empty a silver tabby cat appeared from the shadow atop the cabinet and with a series of jumps from cabinet to table to chair to floor she made her way to the dais and in a moment the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall was standing before her desk.

"A good day indeed, the young rascal," she said but all the time smiling.

Harry made his way to the Great Hall for lunch, working his way through the increasing flow of students. He exchanged a number of greetings from students he knew and a number he didn't recognize but who obviously knew him. As he made his way to his seat at the faculty table he exchanged greetings with the other professors, especially with Bill and Hagrid.

"Hullo, Harry. How's that godson o' mine getting' along?" Hagrid asked.

"He's doing fine, Hagrid, but I think he's getting impatient for visit from his uncle Rubeus," Harry replied with a grin.

"Oh, aye, it has been awhile. A Sat'rday would be alright?"

"That would be fine, Hagrid. You're always welcome, you know that."

"Oh, aye, Harry, I knows it. I'll work summat out and let yas know."

Harry smiled and then turned to say hello to his brother in law. Bill had a quizzical smile on his scarred face.

"So, King Harry is it?" Bill asked.

"Heard about that already have you?" Harry replied with a laugh.

"Your fifth years for Applied Magic come to me for DADA right after. Quite a buzz when they came into the classroom. It was all I could do to keep from laughing while they explained it to me," Bill said.

Harry just smiled and shrugged.

"I thought it was a good way to get their attention on the first day back and to make my point. Plus it was kind of fun. A few of them looked like their eyes were going to fall out of their heads," he concluded with a laugh.

Bill couldn't help but laugh as well. Something attracted Harry's attention at the moment and it was the flash of lightening across the magical ceiling of the Great Hall. He looked up and saw that during the morning heavy clouds had moved in and a heavy rain was falling. He was going to have to alter his plans for his next class, his first years DADA class. This was no day for a field trip to the memorial park where the Shrieking Shack once stood. Fortunately he had contingencies already planned.

Once lunch had concluded Harry began making his way to the DADA classroom to await the class' arrival. On the way out of the Hall he caught sight of Abagail who had been watching him leave. She waved and gave him a small smile and he waved back. He thought back to when he had first seen her as a shy, frail looking first year. While she had not grown much taller she had grown in so many other ways. What he saw today was a young woman, quietly confident and possessed of significant talents, both artistic and psychic, underscored by a profound intellect. And despite her robes it was evident she was a fully grown young woman. Harry shook his head a little and thought he was still too young to have to deal with these fatherly issues but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Despite his musings he still managed to get to the room ahead of his students. This session was made up of Gryffindors and Slytherins. As they settled in it appeared that it was about a two to one margin for the Gryffindors. It looked like it would be a few years before Slytherin was back to normal numbers, Harry thought.

"Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Professor Potter and I'll be your teacher this year. I hope you are all prepared for an interesting year. This first year will be an introduction to Defense Against the Dark Arts. You will learn about the basics of the Darks Arts, what they are, where you might run into them and what people and creatures make use of them. You will also begin to learn how to defend against them."

Harry paused and looked around the room to see if he still had everyone's attention, which he had. He began to slowly walk among the students as he resumed speaking.

"Those of you who come from magical families are probably quite familiar with the concept of what the Dark Arts are although you're probably a bit young to really remember what occurred during the last years of Lord Voldemort, or Tom Riddle as he was originally known. If the weather had cooperated we would already be on our way down to the memorial park where the last victims of his reign of terror were laid to rest. We will make that trip but it will have to wait a day or two. But I imagine that many of you are already familiar with that story. For those of you who aren't, you'll learn more as the year goes on but I can say right now that our community is still recovering from the affects of those years, decades in fact, and will be for some time to come. It is my hope that as a result of our time together and your hard work during your time here at Hogwarts that we can prevent such a thing from happening again."

Harry was about to continue by calling the role when a voice interrupted him.

"My Da says he thinks the whole business of Voldemort was completely over blown."

The room got very quiet as all heads turned in the direction of the voice. It had come from a dark haired boy in Slytherin colors sitting towards the back of the class. His expression was neutral, as if he had casually remarked on the inclement weather.

"That's a very interesting observation. And your name would be?" Harry asked evenly.

"Dickerson, sir, Davey Dickerson."

"I see. Well, Mr. Dickerson, I can't say that I agree with your father's comments, but since I don't know what his understanding of those events is I can't really argue with them, but I can tell you that hundreds of people died or disappeared, my parents included, and many more lives were ruined by Riddle and his followers. Since your father is aware of these events I assume he is a wizard?"

"No, sir. My mum is a witch but Da knows all about the wizarding world. He works for a big company and we've only just come back from the continent where he was working for the past fifteen years. If he hadn't gotten the promotion that brought us to the UK I probably would have gone to Beauxbaton."

"Well, that being the case, I'd have to say that I think your dad is woefully uninformed of what was going on here in those days and perhaps you'll have the opportunity to enlighten him based on what you learn here," Harry said. "With that in mind would you stay behind for a bit after class is over so I can have a word with you?"

"Um, yes, sir."

"Alright everyone, if I can have your attention up here," Harry said, trying to get things back on track.

He noticed that some of the looks that had been directed towards Dickerson were cause for concern on his part and one of the 'lookers' seemed vaguely familiar. He checked his role sheet and a name stood out and gave him a bit of a shrinking feeling that there might be trouble ahead. Unfortunately he was right and it occurred two days later.

Harry's schedule worked out so that he would remain at Hogwarts on Monday and Thursday nights. On Wednesday afternoon he had an Applied Magic Class last period. Afterwards he spent some time at his desk going through some notes and upcoming homework assignments before heading to the little house in Hogsmeade and the Floo Network ride home. As he was pulling on his cloak he heard what sounded like scuffling in the corridor. With a couple of quick steps he was out the classroom door and could see what was causing the noise. Four students had a fifth backed up against the wall opposite of where Harry stood. Two of the four had wands out.

"What's all this then?" Harry asked in quiet yet penetrating voice.

All five students froze in place. The one against the wall looked at him and Harry could see it was Dickerson.

"Put those wands away and turn around," Harry added.

The two wands disappeared inside robes and then the four turned around to face Harry, flinching at the hard green eyes that were boring into them.

"Explain."

What he got was several loud gulps and four sets of very wide eyes. He also saw Dickerson trying to slide sideways along the wall.

"Stand your ground, if you please, Mr. Dickerson."

Looking back at the four Gryffindors he said,

"I believe I asked you for an explanation."

One of the four tried to give Harry a defiant look but it soon vanished under the onslaught of his glare and the boy simple stammered out,

"He was spouting off that rubbish about Voldemort again, sir."

Harry sighed, as he had surmised this was the likely cause of the confrontation. His gaze once more fell on the young Slytherin then returned to the Gryffindors.

"Regardless of Dickerson's opinions, or in this case, his father's, violence in the corridors is hardly the way to address them. And it most certainly shouldn't require four of you. I'll expect you to promptly report this to your head of house and you can expect that I will be seeing him tomorrow morning to make sure you have."

Harry could see the looks of anxiety on the faces of the Gryffindors and he could feel for them but this sort of behavior couldn't be overlooked. His expression softened has he looked at the student who had spoken.

"Look, Creevey…Derek, I think you can appreciate that I would understand how you feel about this. But, this is not the way to handle it. Hexing or beating someone up in a corridor is a very poor way to try and change their minds. I suggest you go find Professor Weasley and explain what went on here and believe me when I say that I will be discussing it with him in the morning. Mr. Dickerson, in my classroom, if you please."

Harry watched as the four Gryffindors made their way down the corridor at a not quite run. Dickerson edged his way around Harry and walked into the classroom. Harry followed him and said,

"Take a seat."

The young Slytherin sat at the nearest desk and looked at Harry expectantly.

"Mr. Dickerson, I thought that I had impressed upon you during our discussion after class on Monday just how sensitive most people around here are about the topic of Lord Voldemort. I believe I strongly suggested you refrain from saying much about it until you've had time to learn about what truly occurred. Didn't I?"

"Yes, sir."

"So, would you care to explain what prompted all this?" Harry asked.

"Um, well, sir, I was just talking to a couple of the other Slytherins as we were leaving lunch and I guess I mentioned it and that Gryffindor, um, Creevey, heard me and shouted something about you telling me to shut up about it. I just told him to mind his own business and by that time we were caught up in the crowd leaving the Hall and that was it. Just now I was heading down for dinner and the next thing I knew those four grabbed me and hustled me down the hall and shoved me against the wall. Told me I was going to learn to keep my mouth shut. I guess they thought no one was down here."

"It's fortunate for you they were wrong. It might help you to know that Derek Creevey's oldest brother, Collin, was killed during the battle here when Voldemort and his followers were defeated. Had we been able to get down to the memorial park as I had planned you'd have seen his grave, as well as a number of others," Harry said, his expression very serious.

"I understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion, Dickerson, but there can also be consequences to expressing that opinion, particularly one as unpopular as you've talked about," he said as he pulled out his notebook and began to write something down. "I had to do this once before, for different reasons, but take this note to the librarian, and I suggest you do it right after dinner. You need to understand some things before you run into any more trouble."

Harry handed the boy the piece of notepaper. He then fixed the boy with his brilliant green eyes and said,

"Life has many ways to teach us lessons, young fellow. I hope this way will prove less painful than some of the alternatives you could face. Now off you go."

"Yes, sir."

Harry watched as the youngster walked out of the classroom, the piece of paper clutched in his hand. Harry could only shake his head. He then finished packing his bag and resumed his interrupted journey home. Within fifteen minutes he was approaching the rear door of his country home and the door swung open.

"Good evening, Master Harry. Welcome home."

"Thanks, Kreacher," Harry said as he walked into the mudroom that separated the rear door from the kitchen.

He hung up his cloak and robe and pulled off his shoes and pulled on a soft pair of slippers that Ginny had gotten for him. She thought after being on his feet all day in front of a class he should have something soft to walk around in. He walked in to the kitchen to find Nibs hard a work at the stove.

"Good evening, Master Harry. Master Harry is hungry?"

"Yes I am, Nibs. I can't wait to see what you've made for us tonight," Harry replied.

"Dinner will be served within the hour, Master Harry, but …" the little house elf said with a meaningful nod of his head in the direction of the counter.

A plate with a meat roll was set next to a steaming cup of tea. Harry smiled and sat on the stool and helped himself. Apparently Nibs or Kreacher had decided that Harry needed something immediately upon arrival and when he came home for the first time on Monday his reaction to the snack confirmed their suspicions. Nibs in particular was quite overcome by Harry's expressions of gratitude. Nibs had confided to Mistress Ginny that he had found the perfect Master in Harry and his prodigious, dragon driven appetite.

As Harry was finishing up his snack he heard soft footfalls in the hallway and he looked up to see the face that never failed to lift his spirits. Ginny walked into the kitchen carrying James.

"Welcome home, sweetheart, how was your day?" she asked with a smile.

"First things first," Harry said as he wiped his mouth of the few crumbs that escaped his attention.

Ginny smiled wider as she stepped closer and leaned in to kiss her husband. When they parted Harry was also smiling and then he kissed his son on the top of his head. Then he looked at his wife and said,

"It was mostly alright, but I had to deal with an incident just before I left for home," and he proceeded to explain what had occurred.

Ginny's face grew serious. Harry had told her about Dickerson when he came home on Monday and she was not pleased with what she had heard. This latest news wasn't received any better.

"I realize he was only repeating what his father had said, but you'd think after you talked to him he'd know better. But you were right that it shouldn't be four on one like that. I imagine Bill is going to have to come down on them fairly hard," she said and then her face took on a bit of a smirk and she continued with "and I can just imagine him finishing up with something like 'I don't believe you'd want to aggravate Professor Potter any further'."

Harry rolled his eyes and said,

"Wonderful, Harry the Hammer strikes again."

Ginny started to laugh, remembering how chagrined Harry had been the time she refereed a Quidditch match and used the threat of Harry's displeasure to subdue a pair of Slytherin beaters who were proving a bit problematic.

"I was just teasing you, sweetheart. Bill can be pretty intimidating all by himself."

"That's for sure. So, how was your day?" he asked.

"Just fine. James was being his usual angelic self. You know he's been such a good baby, and considering his heritage, I can't help but wonder if he's saving something up for us later in life."

"Well, maybe if we are lucky he'll take after the quieter side of the family."

"Um, sweetheart, there really is no quieter side of this family. There's you and all that that entails and then there's the Weasleys. About the only one you could consider quiet is Perc and even he had his moments when he was younger."

"Hmmmm, guess I should think about building some sort of dungeon in the basement so we'll have some place to lock him up when the time comes," Harry said with a perfectly straight face.

Ginny's eyebrows shot up and then she started to laugh. Harry smiled and then said,

"I think that I need to go to Diagon Alley and stop at Gringotts on Saturday. I need to see what shape we're in now that all the bills for the house are paid. Do you want to come along?

"I'd love to but I have other plans, Harry. Mum wanted to come by and I invited Fleur as well. Little Vee will be crushed that you won't be here," Ginny said with a grin.

"Tell her Uncle 'arry will be home before they know it," Harry replied, also grinning.

The two and half year old Victoire was very attached to her Uncle and didn't hesitate to make her displeasure known if Harry wasn't around when she and her mother came for a visit. She was not unlike her mother in that regard. The three remained in the kitchen chatting until dinner was ready. As was usually the case when it was just them they ate at the table that was intended for breakfast duty but suited the small family well. Harry loved everything about his new home but having a dinner for three or four in the big dining room somehow struck him as a bit silly and they had quickly retreated to the cozier kitchen table. After dinner Harry retired to his library to read and Ginny went to give James a bath and put him to bed.

Perhaps an hour lately Ginny came into the library and walked up to Harry's chair where she bent down and kissed him softly. Then she walked over to the desk near the window and pulled out the journal she had started on Harry's life. She made some notes and then returned the book to its place. Next she pulled out a stack of parchment, the text of the book on magical creatures, to finish up the editing so it can be submitted to the publisher. Harry looked up from his book in time to see Nibs walk into the room with a tray holding two cups of tea and a small plate of biscuits. Harry got a cuppa and the plate of biscuits. Ginny received the other cup. As Harry sipped his tea he thought to himself that the life of a professor was turning out to be a good one.


	2. Chapter two

Professor Potter, Chapter 2

A loud grumble from the vicinity of Harry's midsection announced his arrival at his place at the faculty table in the Great Hall.

"And good morning to you, Harry," Bill Weasley laughed as he watched his brother-in-law sit down. "I would have thought you'd catch breakfast at home this morning."

"Normally I would, Bill," Harry said with an embarrassed smile. "But I thought this was the best way to get to talk to you this morning. Did those four first years come to see you?"

"Yes, they did," Bill said more seriously. "We had a very pointed discussion and they'll be spending some time over the next few weeks getting their hands dirty around the place. I also took some extra time with Derek Creevey. The last thing we want or need is some sort of feud developing between him and the boy from Slytherin."

"Dickerson, yes. I had my own talk with him after the incident and gave him some reading to do to try and acquaint him with the facts of the recent past. His ignorance bothers me. I can understand his father having those views, being a muggle and living out the country for so long, but you'd think the boy's mother would have some clue," Harry said.

"It's hard to say, Harry. For some people it's out of sight, out of mind. And for others what they know or think isn't said. She may not have the inclination or freedom to talk about such things," Bill offered.

"Hmm, maybe. I guess I'm so used to being around women who have no problem telling us what they think I hadn't considered that," Harry said.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Harry. I'm sure that with what you've got him reading and a little more discussion you'll have him sorted out shortly."

Harry just nodded and then looked out over the student body catching sight of both Creevey and Dickerson and wondered if this was what happened in the past. Some terrible event occurs and those that lived through it will remember it always but those that only hear about it or learn about it in school don't take it as seriously and over time the memories fade and that opens the door for it to happen again. As an educator he found this disturbing.

Fortunately the rest of the week passed more or less quietly. During the next class with his first year DADA class, Dickerson sat in his spot, his face thoughtful. Creevey and the other Gryffindors showed no overt hostility but there were the occasional glances in the young Slytherin's direction. Even the delayed walk through the memorial park failed to create any issues. On Thursday night, as was his habit when he spent evenings at the school, Harry was seated near the first year end of the Gryffindor table going over some papers when he felt eyes on him. He looked up to see young Dickerson looking at him from the Slytherin table. Harry regarded him, the tilt of his head and the expression on his face offering the boy an invitation. After a few moments the boy rose from the bench and slowly walked over and came to stand in front of Harry.

"How are you getting on, Mr. Dickerson?"

"Alright, I suppose, sir. No more trouble if that's what you mean," the boy replied.

"That's good to hear, but it's only part of what I meant. Have you had the chance to do any of the reading I suggested?"

"Yes, sir. I've made a start on it. There's a lot there and some of it is hard to understand."

Harry gestured for the boy to sit across from him, which he did.

"Maybe I can help you. What are you having problems understanding?" Harry asked.

"Well, sir, I guess even though my mum's a witch I don't really know a lot about the magical world. My dad didn't like to talk about it. The only time I ever heard about it was if he wasn't around. Sometimes some of mum's family would visit and I'd hear things but no one ever told me directly about it. I think maybe dad was hoping it wouldn't happen to me, but some things started to occur and I guess it became clear I was going to be a wizard. The only reason he agreed to send me to a wizard school was so I'd learn to control it and not, as he said, do something stupid to embarrass the family."

"I can see where that would keep you from knowing much. And I can certainly understand how his attitude is affecting you. I was raised by my aunt and uncle who were both muggles, non magical, and they did everything they could think of to suppress my wizard side. I didn't even know that my folks were witch or wizard until my letter finally got to me," Harry said quietly.

"Really, sir?" Dickerson asked, his eyes fixed on Harry.

"Oh, yes. It was rather unpleasant, even after I started to attend Hogwarts. They pretty much detested anything and anyone associated with magic. But that being said you have the opportunity to discover a great deal about the wizarding world and you need to take advantage of that. And not just because of what happened the other day. The world of magic can be and is a wonderful place, but it is also a very dangerous place, particularly for the unwary or unknowing. You have the opportunity to become aware and to be very knowledgeable. I hope you take advantage of it," Harry said.

"Yes, sir. I think I know what you mean. I think my mum would be happy for that to happen, too," Dickerson said with an odd little smile. "I sent her a message by owl last night telling her about what's been happening and all. I think she'll be glad in a way."

Harry said he hoped so and suggested the boy think about getting some sleep. He watched as Dickerson collected his things from the Slytherin table and left the Hall. When Harry arrived home the following night for the week end he sat with Ginny in the library talking about what had occurred.

"Why are you fretting over this so much, sweetheart?" Ginny asked. "You kept it from getting out of hand and you pointed this boy in the right direction to find out the facts and you'll be able to keep tabs on him as the year progresses. I think you've handled it very well."

"It's not so much Dickerson in particular, Gin. It's the idea that someone could think so little about what happened. It's only been what, six years and a bit since Voldemort's been dead. What happens in a dozen or twenty years when the memories are really distant?" Harry said with a frown.

"Well, my dear fellow, that's why it's important that you're at Hogwarts now instead of having waited all those years like you planned. You'll be the one to make sure the memories don't fade away."

"I suppose," he replied but didn't sound too convinced as he stared into the flames in the fireplace.

After a time he looked over at Ginny and said,

"Are we still set for visitors tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'd expect Mum here relatively early and Fleur and Victoire sometime before lunch. Do you think your business in Diagon Alley will be done by then?" she asked.

"I'd think so. I'll go first thing and Gringotts shouldn't take long and then I thought I'd stop at the book store and then the magical creatures shop for more of that food supplement. It seems to be working well. Being home for lunch shouldn't be a problem," he said with a half smile, the first Ginny had seen since before dinner.

"Good, I think you need to be around some family tomorrow," she replied. "As for tonight, I think you need some decidedly individual attention."

Harry thought that both ideas were brilliant and his bigger smile said as much. So it was that when he woke up the next morning he was in a much better frame of mind. Ginny and James were already at the table when Harry walked in.

"Good morning, sweetheart, how are you feeling this morning?" Ginny asked with a gleam in her eye.

"I'm feeling great, thank you," he replied with a smile. "How are my two favorite people getting on?"

"I'm feeling very well and James seems pretty chipper as well," she replied. "Sit down and have your breakfast. The sooner you get to the Alley the sooner you'll be home."

Harry couldn't find any fault with her logic so he sat himself down and after bestowing kisses on his wife and infant son he began his assault on his breakfast. Despite the slower pace of academic life Harry had experienced no lessening of his prodigious appetite, much to the joy of Nibs the house elf. While Kreacher had always deemed it his duty, albeit a happy one, to keep Master Harry well fed, the former Hogwarts cook approached it almost as if it were a religious duty, insofar as a house elf could feel such. Every item offered was watched over carefully. Ingredients were inspected before being used and every implement used in preparation of the meal were treated as if they were intended for a surgery theater.

Harry never saw a broader smile then when he would push back his plate after finishing his third helping, sigh deeply and turn and give the little cook a smile and nod for a job well done. If anyone had paid any attention they would see that Kreacher would offer his own enigmatic little smile, content with the knowledge that when the time came, as it inevitably must, his Master Harry would be well cared for.

As for Harry, feeling content and well fed, he kissed his wife and child good bye for the moment and pulling on his cloak, made his way outside for the trip to Diagon Alley. Arriving at the spot he normally chose close to the bank, he made his way up the steps where the door goblins swung open the doors and bowed him in. He hadn't gotten three steps inside when he was approached by a goblin in clerk's attire.

"Mr. Potter," he began in his gravelly voice, "how may the bank be of service?"

"I'd like to go over my account, please. It's been a while and we've had some big changes so I figure I need to see where we are."

"Certainly, sir. I'll notify Kandak as well. If you'd come this way?"

"Thank you," Harry said as he followed the clerk to the small private room he had become familiar with.

Within in a few minutes, and almost simultaneously, a second clerk arrived with the big account book as well as the bank manager, Kandak, who said,

"Mr. Potter, as always it is a pleasure to see you."

"Thank you. It's good to see you again. I came to look at my account but as long as I'm here would you have a few moments to discuss other matters?"

"Certainly, once we are finished here we can go to my office," the elderly goblin replied.

"That would be great."

"So, Mr. Potter, let's see where matters stand. As you can see you've made some significant changes to your account. With the endowment of the research facility at Hogwarts coupled with the purchase of land and the construction of your home your total assets are significantly smaller but still substantial and with the steady income stream from the original Black family holdings as well as your own investments one would conclude you are still on a very firm financial footing."

Harry could see that. He sought out and found the entries indicating the expenses associated with the scholarship fund and saw that the income was well above what had been charged to it for this year's beneficiaries. He would have to give some thought about what to do with the excess, but there was time for that. He nodded to himself and then to Kandak.

"Yes, it looks like we're doing alright. I'd like to make a withdrawal as well, please. One hundred galleons."

"Certainly, sir," Kandak replied and signaled for the clerk to attend to it.

In moments the goblin had returned with the coins and a receipt. The coins were counted out, and with Harry's acknowledgment, swept into his offered leather bag. He signed the receipt and tucked the pouch away.

"Please come with me, Mr. Potter," Kandak offered.

In moments they were seated across from each other at Kandak's large but plain desk.

"I thought while I was here, I'd ask about how things have been working out between the Ministry and the Goblin community. Although I'm not officially involved anymore I'm still interested in how things are going," Harry said.

"While you may not be part of the Ministry any longer, young sir, I can assure you that you still loom very large in events. Mrs. Weasley has proven to be just as you vouchsafed. Her proposals have been intelligently crafted, clearly stated and surprisingly respectful. However, she negotiates with all the tenacity of the most hardened Goblin trader. We think most highly of her and have high hopes that a reasonably equitable accord will be forged," Kandak said.

"I'm very happy to hear that. It was clear early on that Hermione was someone special and I'm glad that the negotiations are moving forward. The next subject I wanted to ask you about may not be so pleasant. I was curious to know what, if anything, the exploration of the caves has turned up."

The goblin's expression did not change, which wasn't much of a barometer since he never smiled either, but his hands did tighten up as they were clasped together on his desk during the conversation.

"You are astute as always, Mr. Potter. It has not been pleasant. The search has been much more extensive then we first anticipated. We have not yet found any connection between that which was found beneath the Ministry and the vault caves here but there is still much to be explored. Those who are actually in the caves under the Ministry have reported some oddities that will bear further investigation," the elder goblin said.

"Oddities, how so?" Harry asked with genuine curiosity.

"Strange sensations, seemingly inconsistent spatial qualities. For instance, goblins have very keen senses of direction. Some of the tunnels which appear to go on in straight lines for some distance have actually exited not far from where they began, as if they had curved back on themselves. Most peculiar."

"In a way I'm not surprised. When I was down there that one time it seemed very odd that all that could exist without any of the muggles stumbling across it with all their tunneling, but the same could be said for the vault tunnels here as well," Harry replied.

"Tis true, young sir, but no goblin ever felt uncomfortable in the vaults, nor lost their sense of where they were. We will continue to investigate, however, as the security of the vaults still remains an issue."

"Well, I'm sure the wizarding community appreciates your diligence, I certainly do. And I've taken up enough of your time today. Thank you," Harry said as he offered his hand across the desk top.

"And as always it's has been a pleasure and no inconvenience in any way, Mr. Potter."

Kandak escorted Harry to the front doors and as he descended the steps to the pavements he thought about what the bank manager had said; his curiosity aroused. He need to have a talk with Charlie and soon. He was still deep in thought when he heard his name being called from across the Alley.

"Harry, I say there, Harry!"

Harry looked over to see Percy and Audrey standing outside Weasleys Wizard Wheezes waving him over. With a smile he crossed the cobbles and was greeted with hugs and handshakes.

"So how was the first week of school, Harry?" Percy asked.

"All in all, pretty well, Perc. Looks like it's a good bunch of first years, a bump here and there, but I think it should be a good year. How are things at the Ministry?"

"Great. They made my posting permanent so I can really start digging in. Some of the older hands were dragging their feet thinking I might be going away but now they see the way things are going to be, some have decided to retire and the rest figure they better get in step," Percy replied with a smile.

"That's great. How about you, Aud, how are you doing?" Harry asked.

"I'm doing very well, Harry. I've enjoyed a few trips when Percy goes on business but I do miss a certain group of wizards chessmen," she replied with a grin.

"You know you two are welcome anytime and the board is always set and ready."

Harry wasn't able to continue as several passersby waved and called out to him.

"Hello, Professor Potter."

"You're looking well, Professor."

"Good morning, Professor Potter."

After the cordial greetings the next voice Harry heard was anything but.

"Potter? Professor Potter you say. Well, a word in your ear, Professor," the last word being dragged out and dripping with scorn.

Harry turned and saw a tallish burly man bearing down on him, trailed by a slightly built woman with a look of absolute chagrin on her face. Harry knew trouble when he saw it but he remained calm and waited for it to arrive.

"Yes, I'm Professor Potter and you would be…?"

"Dickerson, Bentley Dickerson. My son Davey is a student of yours and you and I are going to have a discussion about what you've been telling him."

Harry looked at the man who had come to stand within arm's length. He looked to be somewhere in his forties and gave the appearance of a former rugger gone a bit soft. He was scowling and quite red in the face.

"I take it you have some issue with what your son and I have been discussing?"

"Too bloody right I do. Just where do get off telling my boy that his father doesn't know what he's talking about?" the man bristled.

"Your son offered an opinion of yours in class that ran counter to the experiences of just about everyone else in the room. I suggested that he should learn a bit more about what went on before he mentioned it again. He disregarded that suggestion and it created more than a little bit of trouble for him with some of his classmates. We managed to keep it from getting out of hand and he is now working to gain some insight into recent history."

"Don't try and get by me with your fancy talk, mister. You have no right trying to get between me and my son that way," the man practically shouted.

"Harry, what is he going on about?" Percy asked in a low but strained voice.

"Mr. Dickerson believes that our problems with Voldemort were, I believe the expression was 'overblown'," Harry replied but never got the chance to explain further.

In an instant Percy was practically nose to nose with the belligerent father, every bit as red in the face and he was giving a very pointed, very loud run down of the history of Lord Voldemort and his victims, often punctuated by sharp jabs in the chest from Percy's finger. At one point his arm shot out and his finger pointed at Harry and Dickerson got a quick lesson on the trials that Harry endured beginning with the deaths of his parents. Harry and Audrey were both dumbfounded as they watched the usually reserved Percy pour out a seeming unending litany of the dark deeds that were Voldemort's legacy.

Then Harry was hit with an insight. Percy's verbal assault on the ignorance of Bentley Dickerson was not so much a defense of Harry as it was a penance or purging of guilt that Percy had harbored since the fall of Voldemort. On several occasions Percy's treatment of Harry during those dark early times at the Ministry had surfaced briefly and Harry had simply accepted whatever small apology the usually reticent Percy had offered but it was obvious that his brother-in-law had never really gotten past it. Add to that the loss of a brother, there was quite a bit of emotion dammed up. Now, in the face of the belligerently uninformed Mr. Dickerson, the dam had burst and a catharsis of sorts was taking place. Harry sensed a winding down in Percy's delivery and he focused his attention back on the two just in case anything physical might erupt. Looking past the two men he could see a pair of patrollers watching what was going on with great interest. When they made eye contact, Harry nodded once.

"And if you don't want to take my word for it, Mr. Dickerson," Percy ground out, giving the man's name every bit as much derision as he had Harry's title, "you can bloody well ask any one of the witches and wizards that are watching us because they all lived through it and know the truth."

Mr. Dickerson had been leaning back slightly under Percy's onslaught and now he was looking around as much as he could without turning his head and his mouth was moving but not much was coming out. It was at this time that Mrs. Dickerson made her presence know by ducking between Percy and Mr. Dickerson, shouldering the two apart and taking hold of her husband's hand and pulling on it. She looked at Harry and said quietly,

"So sorry to have disturbed your morning, Professor. We'll be going now."

Then she gave a tug on her husband's arm a second time and he began to move, not unlike a freighter being maneuvered in a crowded harbor by a small but insistent tugboat. As the couple made their departure under the flinty glare from a number of witches and wizards who were witnesses, Harry and Audrey both turned to regard the now somewhat abashed Percy. He looked at them, blinking and finally stammered out,

"I'm sorry about that. I have no idea what came over me. But his ignorance and attitude, it just struck me…I don't know…" he tailed off.

"No worries, mate," Harry said. "I appreciate it."

The last was said as Harry held out his hand and Percy took it weakly and shook. Audrey wrapped her arms around her husband's waist and squeezed him fiercely. A few of the closer passersby offered Percy some comments to include,

"Good on ya, mate," and "Gave 'em what for, you did."

"You'll stop by the house soon, won't you?" Harry asked.

"Would tomorrow afternoon be alright?" Audrey asked, still holding on to the slightly stunned Percy.

"That would be terrific, plan on staying for an early dinner," Harry replied.

"Wonderful," Audrey replied, then she looked up at Percy, "and for you my dear fellow perhaps we should go to the Cauldron and let you sit down and have a bit of a drink."

"Hmm, yes, alright, dear, so long Harry," Percy nodded as his wife began to steer him back up the alley.

Harry could only stand and watch them move away, shaking his head slightly. He wasn't sure what bothered him more, the attitude and ignorance of Mr. Dickerson, or what drove Percy's outburst. He remembered what he had found out about the fact that Percy never really talked about his problematic relationship with Harry in the 'dark times'. He decided he would forego his stop at the book store and just grab the owl food supplement and then go home. He arrived in the back courtyard of the Meadows and as usual the back door was swinging open, this time with Nibs doing the honors. Harry remembered the conversation he had with Kreacher about there being no need to man the rear entry but he figured that habits were hard to break. As he made his way through the kitchen he heard familiar voices coming from the living room and when he poked his head around the edge of the entrance he found that the guests had already arrived.

"Harry, dear. We didn't expect you so soon, is everything alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yeah, Mum, no worries," he replied, trying to put on his best face.

"Uncle 'arry," Victoire called out as she scurried across the floor with her arms held out.

Harry scooped her up and held her close, feeling her small but strengthening arms hold tight to his neck. He saw Fleur rise from her seat next to Ginny and move towards Harry, a question in her eyes.

"How's my favorite girl?" Harry asked his niece.

"Good, Uncle 'arry. You good?" she asked in return.

"I'm wonderful now, young lady," he said with a smile as he set her back down on the floor.

"Bon jour, mon ami," Fluer said as she gave Harry his customary hug and kisses on the cheeks and forhead.

He didn't offer a verbal response but added some pressure to his hug and held on a bit longer than usual. When she backed away Fluer regarded him with one eyebrow slightly raised. Then she took his hand and walked him over to the couch and sat him down between herself and Ginny, who leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Alright, young fella me lad. Out with it. You never were a good liar and this morning is no different," Mrs. Weasley said, fixing her son with a beady eyed glare.

"Well, it's nothing really, ok, maybe more than that but I ran into a rather irate father of one of my students and he was very upset that I was trying to correct his son's view of recent history. A view he got from his father," Harry said.

"The Dickerson boy?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, after I was done at Gringotts, I ran into Percy and Audrey at the Alley. I hadn't gotten much past saying hello when Mr. Dickerson descended on us and started giving me what for. Perc asked me what it was all about and I told him and he just went off on the man, nose to nose, poking him in the chest. I've never seen him so wound up. By the time he was done, Mr. Dickerson was speechless. His wife had to step in and separate them and she hauled her husband off, apologizing for intruding. It was amazing," Harry finished quietly.

"Well, I can see where that might be disconcerting, Harry, but I'm think it's more than that, isn't it?" Mrs. Weasley prodded.

Harry hesitated but Ginny took hold of his free hand, Fluer having not relinquished the other, and nudged him.

"I guess it's a combination of things, Mum. I worry that as time goes on the memory of the Voldemort years will fade, maybe not for those directly involved but for those who just heard about it and those, like Dickerson, who never really knew. It'll make it easier for it to happen again. Plus I think I know what set Percy off and that makes me feel even worse. I think he might still be feeling guilty about all that bad business between us," he said with a sigh.

"As to the first, unfortunately you're probably correct. But we can only do what we can do and you and Bill, at least are in a position to make sure that the youngsters going through Hogwarts understand what happened. But it won't be the same as having experienced it. As to the other, I think you're right about our Percy. He's never spoken to me or anyone else that I know of about those times. Even Audrey. Perhaps after what happened today we, or more likely you, will be able to draw him out."

"Hmmm, maybe. They're coming by tomorrow," Harry said, turning to Ginny. "I invited them for an early dinner."

"That will be lovely, Harry," Ginny said with a small smile.

Victoire had been taking this all in from her place on the floor by her mother's feet where she had a small assortment of toys spread out. Her face was very serious as she stood up and promptly climbed up into Harry's lap and snuggled up against his chest. He couldn't help by smile.

"My angels," he said almost to himself.

Ginny squeezed his hand and ask quietly,

"Had did things go at Gringotts?"

Harry's smile broadened as if relieved to change the subject.

"It went well, we're in good shape. The house is paid for, the money for Neville and Professor Sprout's work is set up and we already have a surplus in the scholarship account. I also found out about what's been going on with the discovery of the cave system under the Mysteries department. It's pretty extensive and apparently the explorers have reported some odd things, strange feelings and so on. I guess Charlie should have a lot to keep him busy for a while."

"That should make Eleanor happy, having him close to home for a time," Ginny said with a smile.

"Hmm, yes. It would be nice if they made it official," Mrs. Weasley said, a bit of annoyance coming through.

"Muum, Charlie and Eleanor 'ave a very nice relationsheep. Both are very bizzy right now. Be patient. Eet ees not like you do not 'ave any grandchildren at all, you know," Fluer said, trying to hide a smile.

"I'm well aware of that, young lady. Perhaps I'm just a bit old fashion but after all this time you'd think…" Mrs. Weasley left the rest unsaid.

The 'youngsters' couldn't help but laugh. The conversation continued on a lighter note, with talk about how quickly Victoire was picking up on new things and her growing vocabulary in both English and French. Harry asked if she had heard anything from Gabrielle since this was her last year of school and Fleur blurted out,

"Mon Dieu, 'arry, I completely forgot. Gabrielle said to ask you eef you would be able to come to Beauxbaton thees year. Both thee students and faculty would like for you to come. Eef you would, then Madame Maxime weell make a formal request to Professor McGonagall."

"Yeah, that would be great, but it couldn't be for a full week like last time, maybe just a couple of days," Harry replied.

"I theenk that would be just fine, 'arry. Gaby said that thee original members of thee fan club were worried that you would not be able to veeseet before they all graduated."

Harry rolled his eyes at the mention of the fan club which got both laughs and looks from the ladies. But it was evident that he was in a better mood than when he had arrived and that's what guardian angels were for, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Professor Potter, Chapter 3

It was late in afternoon two Saturdays after the stunning confrontation between Percy Weasley and the muggle Mr. Bentley Dickerson. Harry was sitting in his very comfortable chair in the library at the Meadows, his latest acquisition, an ancient treatise on potions, lying closed in his lap. He sat with his eyes closed although he was fully awake. He was thinking back over the intervening two weeks. Against all hopes, Percy didn't open up about what drove him to thoroughly dress down the belligerent Dickerson when he and Audrey came to visit the following day. He simply stated that he had had a long week and something about the man had made him lose his temper and he was rather embarrassed by the whole thing and would prefer not to speak of it again.

After the early dinner, Percy and Ginny were taking a walk around the house at his request. He said the first time they were there he hadn't had the chance to see much. Harry and Audrey had retired to the library to play some wizards chess. After the first few moves Harry looked across at Audrey and said,

"So did Perc say anything to you last night or this morning about what happened yesterday?"

"No, not a word. We went to the Cauldron right after and both had a drink. Beyond saying he was feeling better, whatever that meant, he didn't talk at all. We went home, had some dinner and he said he was very tired and went to bed. This morning he behaved as if nothing happened. Except for what he mentioned before about work and his temper, he's said nothing," Audrey replied.

Harry sighed, looking down at the move Audrey made while she was talking.

"It worries me a bit," Harry said. "I remember what Dr. Parson's told me about holding things in and not being honest with yourself or others about what's bothering you. I'd hate to have him going around the rest of his life feeling guilty about what happened before. It's all over with."

"Harry, it's all over with for you, yes. But you have to remember where Percy has been with all this. So much of who he was came from his work at the Ministry. He believed in what he did and what he thought the Ministry was about. To find out the truth, that he didn't see what was going on or the reality of your situation hit him very hard. Add to that the loss of Fred and the circumstances of his death, that's a lot to deal with. But I agree with you, I hope he can find a way to come to terms with it. I wish there was a way to put him in touch with your Dr. Parsons. I think she could be of some help," Audrey said with a sigh of her own.

"That would be a good idea. Let me think on it. Maybe there's a way, I hope so at least."

As he sat in the chair with his eyes closed he still hadn't figured out a way to put his brother-in-law and the talented mind healer together in a way that wouldn't upset Percy. At the other end of the equation was the younger Dickerson. Harry had had several more conversations with the young wizard as the boy worked his way through the readings that Harry had suggested. It was evident that he was learning more and trying to understand it. At the same time he was having difficulty dealing with the idea that his dad had been wrong. This was offset somewhat by the fact that he was getting some supportive messages from his mum with whom he was sharing some of his new found knowledge.

Harry had to smile inwardly as he recalled one such conversation that took place the Thursday evening just passed. He was sitting at his usual spot at the end of the Gryffindor table and Dickerson had just come over to sit opposite when Harry heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Professor Potter, sir."

The breathless, airy tone immediately identified the speaker. Harry turned his head to see Abagail standing just a few feet away.

"Hello, Abagail. How are you doing this evening?"

"I'm doing great, sir. How are you?" she replied smiling brightly.

"I'm doing pretty great myself. By the way, Abagail, this is Davey Dickerson. He's in my first year DADA class."

"Hi, Davey, it's nice to meet you. You're going to learn all kinds of great things from the Professor here," she said, her smile turning a bit impish.

"I know," the boy replied shyly. "I've learned a lot already."

The tone of his response got the very perceptive girl's attention. She took a seat to Harry's left and looked at the boy.

"Excuse me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you're having a problem with what you're learning," she said.

Davey looked at her then at Harry who simply nodded to him. The boy looked back at Abagail and took in a deep breath. He then began to tell her what had happened and what Harry was doing to try and help him. Abagail began to ask some questions and between the soft tone and those big dark eyes full of sympathy for the boy he seemed to open up and as Harry listened he began to understand more about the boy and his relationship with his father. The man Harry saw as the big blustering belligerent muggle was to his son a strong, confident and successful man who, while loud and overbearing at times, was just as likely to spend entire evenings with his son doing what they both enjoyed the most, building model ships.

At the same time he was marveling at how well Abagail was doing at drawing the boy out. He couldn't tell if she was doing it consciously or simply as a result of who she was but it was obvious that she was making Davey much more at ease and he was now enthusiastically describing the latest ship model that he and his dad had been working on. When he finished she looked at him with a smile and said,

"You really know your ships, Davey. After what you just told me I bet I could draw it right down to the smallest detail. Have you ever tried to draw a ship?"

"Um, yeah, but I'm really bad at it. It would be really neat to be able to draw one and then build a model of it but…" he tailed off.

"Maybe I can help you learn to draw better, I'm not too bad at it myself."

"In point of fact, Mr. Dickerson, Abagail is an extremely talented artist. She had a very big role in designing the house we live in. I'm sure she could help you," Harry said.

"Wow, that would be brilliant."

As Harry sat in his chair in the library he wondered if perhaps Abagail might be able to help Percy. It would be much easier to have the two of them 'bump' into each other than with Dr. Parsons. He sat and thought more on the idea until he received the call for dinner. Setting his book aside he left the library and made his way to the kitchen where Ginny and James were waiting. He smiled as he held his finger out for his son to grab hold of as he bent down to kiss his wife.

"Did you have a nice nap, sweetheart?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh, I wasn't asleep. I was thinking about what's been going on with Percy as well as the Dickerson boy. I told you what occurred when Abagail came over to talk to us. She did such a great job getting Davey to open up, I was wondering if maybe she could do the same with Percy. It would certainly be easier to get the two of them in the same room than with the healer."

"You might have something there, Harry. Maybe over the holidays. That would give Perc time to get past that episode in the Alley and his guard would be down," she said and then looked dismayed. "Oh, that sounded horrible. It was like I wanted to trick Percy."

Harry laughed a bit as he sat down opposite her at the small table.

"Well, in a way we are. We're hoping that by putting the two of them together that she'll be able to work her own unique magic on him and get him to talk about what's bothering him."

"I suppose you're right, Harry, but it just sounds so bad when you say it," she replied.

"Perhaps, but it's not like we're putting Veratiserum in his tea," he countered.

Ginny's eyes went wide and then she started to giggle. James must have liked the sound because he began to giggle, too. Harry couldn't help but add a few chuckles himself. But he thought that Ginny had the right of it. He was going to see what he could do about putting Abagail and Percy in close proximity and see if the girl could get him to talk. In the meantime he would continue on with trying to help Davey Dickerson come to terms with his new world.

Another item of immediate concern was the fate of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He and Bill had met with the prospective players at camp and Bill made it very clear that they needed to step up their performance if they were to have any chance at the cup this year. They were then introduced to Kreacher, decked out in his coach's sweatshirt and whistle. The looks he got from the youngsters ranged from smirks, laughs, and a few exclamations, including one of 'pull the other one, it's got bells on'. What happened next even surprised Harry. Kreacher blew his whistle and fixed the players with a baleful stare.

"Gryffindor flyers look at Kreacher and see funny little fellow Kreacher thinks. Kreacher will tell Gryffindor flyers that there is much about Quidditch that Kreacher knows. Do flyers know that it was Kreacher that helped Mistress Ginny to become famous chaser or that it was Kreacher who helped make Gryffindor house cup winner that year and the year after and the year after that? Gryffindor flyers think that Kreacher is someone to laugh at maybe perhaps?" he said at which time the practice quaffle that had been resting on the ground nearby jumped into the air and began zipping madly over their heads, swooping close and causing more than a few to hit the ground.

"Kreacher would very much like to help Gryffindor win again. But no more smirky laughs. Now is time for work."

Harry recovered quickly, having seen a similar performance by the little elf that day in the Hogwarts kitchen when Kreacher lectured his fellow beings on the possibilities of freedom.

"Well, folks, that's the offer. I can personally testify to the effectiveness of what Kreacher can do. I was on that first championship team. This little fellow made all the difference," he said.

"Besides," Bill added, his scarred face very serious. "He is going to coach, so if you want to play this year you best get used to the idea."

Harry had known Bill for quite a while now and had seen him in some difficult situations but he was never more serious then when Quidditch was involved. Harry smiled as he heard the 'yes, sirs'. So Kreacher began making several trips a week up to Hogwarts to work with the Gryffindors. On several occasions Harry saw them dragging back into the castle and it wasn't even the official start of the season yet. When he arrived at home in the evenings it was also evident that Kreacher was having the time of his life. Having Nibs and Dinkle to fall back on to keep the house running made all the difference.

Over the next few weeks Harry was able to settle into a pleasant rhythm. He was enjoying his time in class with his students. As promised he arranged for Abagail to come in and talk with the first year Transfiguration classes and help those who were having trouble picturing in their minds what they needed to do to get a needle to become a matchstick and back again. He also couldn't help notice the effect she was having on the male half of the classes. The boys hung on her every word and their eyes would follow her around the room as she went about giving individual help. Harry made a note to ask her how Tom Medford was doing.

He also took some time to watch some of the Gryffindor team practices and he was very pleased with what he was seeing. The improvement in team play and individual performance was noticeable from week to week. He did still harbor some concern about the seeker. She was a fifth year and Harry noticed she was having trouble making the final grab. He was going to let Kreacher and Bill work it out but that idea was pre-empted when she approached him one evening while he was sitting in the Great Hall.

"Um, excuse me, sir. Would you have a few minutes to spare?"

"Of course, Miss Abercrombie, what can I do for you?" Harry replied as he gestured towards the bench across from him.

"Well, sir. I'm worried about the first match that's coming up. I know you've been to some of the practices so I figured you're probably aware of the problems I'm having," she replied, chewing at her lower lip.

"You mean making the final grab for the snitch?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, I have noticed. It seems like you're hesitant to make the stretch," Harry offered.

"That's a nice way to say it, sir," the girl said with a laugh. "Actually, I'm afraid of falling off my broom."

"You're an excellent flyer, I don't see why that would be an issue for you. Have you ever fallen off before?" Harry asked.

"A few times during the first week I was learning, but not since. That's not the problem," she said, looking down at the table top in front of her. "When I was little, before coming to Hogwarts, my brothers and I were playing in an old orchard near our house. We were climbing the trees, throwing some of the fruit to each other, that sort of thing. I was leaning out to grab a piece from a branch when the one I was sitting on broke. I was able to hang on and I was only about a dozen feet off the ground but for a little kid that's still a long way down. I was screaming and my brothers were yelling to me to hang on. Finally my oldest, Seth, was able to climb up and grab me and pull me to the unbroken part of the branch and then help me get down. I remember hanging on to him, crying and crying. If the snitch is close by I don't have a problem. But making the stretch for one just out of reach," she said shaking her head, "I flash back to that moment and I just can't bring myself to do it."

Harry sat quietly for a while looking at the girl who was alternating between looking at him and her hands folded on the table top. Then he smiled and said,

"I've been through something like that myself. Things would be going along just fine and then a word or sound, even a smell, would remind me of something and all the nasty memories would come flooding back. At first I tried to block them off but that usually doesn't work out well in the long run. I think you need to be able to convince yourself that what happened in that orchard isn't something you should let hold you back. You might want to try and remind yourself that although it was pretty scary, it didn't turn out so bad in the end. What you should also try is to practice making the stretch where it won't matter if you miss. I'll talk to Kreacher. Maybe we'll start with you doing it while standing on the ground. Then with you just hovering above the ground. Get you used to the idea of stretching for the snitch and grabbing it. Then we'll work on altitude. How does that sound?" Harry finally asked.

"Sounds like it's worth a try, sir."

Harry was as good as his word and the very next day Kreacher worked with the young seeker, keeping the snitch just out of reach, until she pushed herself past her comfort zone. Within days she was making grabs while slowly circling the pitch a few feet off the ground. Harry was confident that by the time the first match was flown, right after Halloween, that the girl would be ready.

Speaking of Halloween, the Ball was much the subject of discussion at the Potter household. Ginny was very excited at the idea of being able to dance the night away. Harry was standing on two sturdy legs lately and Ginny was nearly back to flying trim after the birth of James. Harry had to laugh whenever he thought about the idea of him and Ginny spending so much time on a dance floor. When he considered his inauspicious start with the Triwizard Ball it was a little hard to believe. But then again he was much more capable and with such a wonderful partner he enjoyed the prospect of the evening very much. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already booked as babysitters for James.

But before either of those events were to occur Harry had a more immediate task to attend to. He had asked Hagrid to pass on his request to pay a visit to the Centaurs. He hadn't spoken to them since the end of the last term. Harry had indicated that he simply wished to maintain contact and there was no need to meet at the circle if that would prove inconvenient. Hagrid relayed the response that a group of Centaurs would meet him in the small clearing closer to the edge of the forest.

So it was that directly after his last class on Thursday, the week before Halloween, he left the castle and made his way towards Hagrid's hut. The hut was quiet so Harry assumed that Hagrid and Norbie were off somewhere so he turned onto the trail that led into the forest. He was glad to be making the journey without a cane. It was actually a pleasant ten minute hike until he arrived at the small clearing. There waiting for him were Bane, Ronan, the elder Zentese, and arrayed in a small arc behind them perhaps a dozen other Centaurs of mixed ages, both male and female.

"Hail, Serpent King. It is pleased we are to meet with you today," Zentese said by way of welcome.

"Hail and well met, honored Elder. I, too, am happy to be here with you today. Bane, Ronan, it is good to see you again, my friends," Harry replied as he stepped forward to grip arms with the two Centaurs.

He looked at Zentese, unsure if he should offer to do likewise but the Elder smiled and offered his arm and smoothly overcame Harry's moment of indecision. Harry smiled in return and then stepped a bit sideways and bowed his head in acknowledgement of the others near the far edge of the clearing. He received bows in return. He moved back to face the three.

"I trust it was no inconvenience for you to be here today," he began. "We haven't spoken since before the summer and I wished to renew our acquaintance and ask after the welfare of the herd."

Zentese smiled and said,

"It is far more than an acquaintance but we understand your meaning, friend Harry Potter. Likewise we are pleased to have this opportunity and it is no inconvenience. Your concern for the herd is much appreciated and therefore we can tell you that we are well. The forest has been a relatively quiet place of late. Since the demise of Aragog the giant spiders have fallen to preying amongst themselves and their numbers diminish. They pose little problem for us now. Otherwise it is as it has been for ages past and we are content that it be so."

"I'm pleased to know this. Might I inquire as to the progress of the discussions between the Centaurs and the Ministry?"

"Indeed you may, Serpent King. They proceed apace. Friend Hermione Granger has proven to be as trustworthy and honorable as you claimed. She is most tenacious in her negotiations with us but it is obvious, too, that she is a fierce advocate for the Centaurs within the halls of your Ministry. There is cause for cautious optimism on our part. We have come to understand that in her own way she is as fearsome a warrior as are you," Zentese concluded.

Harry could only smile and nod in agreement.

"And what of you, friend Harry Potter? There is much interest in your welfare amongst the herd. Friend Hagrid has told us some but what would you share with us?" Zentese asked.

"I am well, very well, thank you. As you may have noticed I'm walking much better now. Only when the weather turns to rain do I feel any discomfort in the knee. My family is doing quite well and I look forward to the day I can bring my son here to meet with you. I'm sure Hagrid told you I've returned to Hogwarts full time now."

"Indeed, friend Hagrid has. We understand that the causes for the decision on your part were not pleasant and we need not visit them here. But we are pleased with the fact that you are where you wish to be, and truly belong. We hope your visits to the forest will be more often for it is the home of the herd, your herd," the Elder said with some emphasis.

Harry understood the meaning implied in those words. That his acceptance was no mere formality or honor but a thing of substance and his presence was expected.

"Yes, I understand, Zentese. And it would be a good thing for me to walk the forest more. Too often my journeys here have been perilous and better forgotten. I need to come to understand it as a place of life and the home of friends. With that in mind, might I be permitted to meet those that stand behind you?" he asked.

The Elder nodded, looking to both Bane and Ronan.

"Yes, friend Harry Potter. I think it would be wise for you to do so. Come."

With that the Elder led Harry back to the edge of the clearing where he was introduced to the Centaurs standing there. He wasn't sure why but he got the feeling that those he was meeting were drawn from across the spectrum of the herd. By age and sex obviously but he also got the feeling there was a mix of standing within the herd and both supporters and dissenters of the idea of dealing with the Ministry. He wondered if their presence here was a way of allaying fears that one faction or another could lay claim to the 'famous Harry Potter'. After the introductions and exchange of pleasantries Harry walked with the three back to the center of the clearing. Harry looked up into the face of the Elder and asked,

"Would I be wrong in thinking that those who I've just met were selected with some purpose in mind?"

The Elder looked at Harry for a moment longer and gave a nod.

"You look past what appears to be to see what truly is, much like you mentor, Dumbledore did. It is true that those who came here today did so with the intent to bear witness to the herd of what was spoken. As with any community there are groups within that share differing opinions from others. There have been concerns that your acceptance into the herd could lead to one faction or other gaining ascendancy through close association with you. Thus the witnesses."

Harry wasn't certain but he thought he caught a hint of concern or chagrin in the Elders voice and expression.

"I understand the concern, Elder. My admiration of and concern for the herd is for the herd in total. I will endeavour to steer away from any appearance of favoritism in the future," Harry replied softly.

"Dumbledore's faith in you was well placed," was all the Elder said in response.

The shadows were lengthening and the forest darkened as Harry said his farewells and then made his way out of the forest. It had been an enjoyable and enlightening meeting. He would have to make sure he made more frequent trips to the forest and to tread carefully, in more ways than one.

The following Saturday found Harry sitting in his special chair in the library, James perched happily on his lap. Ginny was at the desk by the window, going through proof pages for the book on magical creatures she was working on with Hagrid, Abagail and Charlie. Harry had assumed his by now habitual posture when sitting with his son, or any small child for that matter. His left leg was crossed over the right, his ankle resting on the knee. This formed a pocket in which the child could rest, facing him directly. He was currently playing a game where James would try to grab Harry's fingers and pull them into his mouth. The occasional gurgle and giggle would signal the boy's enjoyment.

"Well, you two sound like your having a good time," Ginny said over her shoulder.

"Yes, we are, although I could use a cloth to wipe off my hands. I didn't realize drooling all over my fingers was part of the game," Harry replied.

"Hmm, he's starting to teeth, sweetheart. You can expect a lot of drooling, gnawing and general discomfort out of our dear boy for the foreseeable future," she offered.

"That would explain it I guess. I just hope they're just normal baby teeth and not little dragon ones," he responded flatly.

Ginny's head came around and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Harry, don't you even suggest such a thing."

She didn't get much further because Dinkle appeared in the doorway.

"Master Harry, Mister Charlie Weasley and Miss Eleanor MacManus are here and wish to see Master Harry."

"Of course, Dinkle, show them in, please," Harry replied and then he looked at Ginny. "Did you know they were coming, Gin? I didn't even hear a knock."

"I did let Charlie know that I'd be working on the proofs today but I didn't hear anything back."

By this time the two were shown in and Harry was struggling to get himself upright with his arms full of James.

"Sorry for barging in on you two, but we weren't too far away and we haven't seen you in a while," Charlie offered by way of greeting.

"Nonsense. You're always welcome, you know that. Come in and have a seat," Harry said.

Ginny and Eleanor exchanged hugs and then started to make a fuss over James, who was reclaimed by his mother. Harry and Charlie shook hands and then Eleanor pulled Harry into a tight embrace. When she let go she stepped back and said,

"You're looking very fit, Harry, or should I say, Professor Potter."

"Harry is just fine, thank you so much," he replied with a grin. "I'm feeling great, El. It's nice that my biggest problem is how to keep students from dozing off in class."

"Oh please, Harry, who would dare fall asleep in front of you," Ginny said with a snort. "Besides, I'm sure all those hair-raising stories you have to tell keeps them riveted."

"So what's going on with you two? I assume no match today, El?" Ginny asked.

"Nope, full weekend off, so we thought we'd do some visiting, and Charlie recalled you had the proofs for the book, so here we are," Eleanor replied.

"Good, and you're staying for dinner and I won't take no for an answer," Ginny said.

"Fine by me," Charlie responded. "I've never passed on a free meal in my life."

"How are things going at the Ministry, Charlie?" Harry asked, laughing.

"For the most part, good, Harry. We've got the majority of the department sorted out as best we can. The Minister wants us to set things up so that the research will be more in line with what the wizarding world can make use of as opposed to some of the weird things that they were doing down there. We cleared out everything from the dragon chamber, I'd guess you'd call it, and buried all the bits and pieces. It seemed the decent thing to do. The cavern complex is still being explored by the Goblins. That's producing some very odd findings."

"Yes, I was at the bank some weeks ago and Kandak told me some of what they were finding. Strange tunnels and the like. What he described kind of reminded me of the Spatial Distortion Portal that those smugglers were using. Do you know what ever happened to that?" Harry asked.

"Yup, we've got it now. After a lot of head scratching and poking around, we just sort of pulled it out of the walls at both ends. As soon as each one came free the effect disappeared and all we had were wooden frames and ordinary holes in the walls. No sparks, no smoke, nothing."

"Something for some smart researcher to figure out. I'll stop by the Head's office during the week and see if I can find out anything for you," Harry said.

"Speaking of school, how's it going?" Charlie asked.

"Great. A few issues where students are concerned, but nothing serious. I'm enjoying it a lot."

Harry could see Eleanor smile a bit and nod and he had no doubts what she was implying. Then Ginny said,

"Well then, big brother, what say we take a look at the proofs?"

"Sure, can you do that with your hands full of James?" Charlie asked.

"I'll give it a try. Harry was hogging him all afternoon so now it's my turn," she said, giving Harry a 'look'.

"Hey. You have him all day long while I'm at school," he protested.

Ginny just smiled sweetly, and completely insincerely, and went with Charlie over to the desk. Harry just shook his head and looked over at Eleanor and said,

"Fancy a game?"

"Ohh, good, I thought you'd never ask," she replied enthusiastically.

As the two were sitting down to the board, which had come to life with the aggressively antagonistic pieces, Harry called out,

"Kreacher, I need to see you please."

In a moment the little house elf hurried into the library.

"How my Kreacher be of service, Master Harry?"

"We're going to have guests for dinner. Charlie and Eleanor will be staying."

"Very good, Master Harry. The dining room?"

"Yes, I think that would be nice. Oh, would you have some tea brought in for us, please?"

"Certainly, Master Harry."

Kreacher bowed and hurried back out of the room. Harry looked back over at Eleanor and saw her looking at him with a small smile.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing really. It's just nice to see you so relaxed and happy."

"Well, we'll see how long that lasts. I haven't played in a while so my good mood might not last long."

Eleanor just laughed and gestured for him to start as he was playing from the white side. The library filled with the sounds of murmured conversation over at the desk and the shouts and cries of the chess pieces punctuated by the commands given by Harry and Eleanor.

The Halloween Ball fell on a Thursday night so Harry broke his routine to hurry home to get ready along with Ginny. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already at the house and James was getting all the attention two doting grandparents could supply. Ginny had brought out her green formal robes from her last year at Hogwarts. She said she was feeling a little nostalgic and also that the robe was a gift from Harry so that made it even more special. The fact that she looked absolutely stunning in them didn't escape Harry's notice and he said so. Her smile was all the answer he needed.

To avoid any possibility of soot contamination they both Disapparated from the front porch and arrived just outside the front door of the little house that served as Harry's Floo Network transit point. Hand in hand they walked the short distance to the castle. The early evening air was brisk but not uncomfortably so and after knocking the door swung open. They were both shocked to be facing the still pimpled face of Stan Shunpike. The former Knight bus conductor and supposed Death Eater regarded Harry with definite unease.

"Evenin' Professor Potter, sir."

"Stan? Stan Shunpike? What are you doing answering the door? Where's Mr. Filch?" Harry asked.

"I'm the assistant caretaker now, Professor. Mr. Filch has been 'avin' troubles a lot lately. I been 'avin' a tough time finding steady work since you put the finish to you-know-'oo. The 'eadmistress was kind enough to take me on, a trial basis you might say," he said then looked down at the ground and back up at Harry. "I never really was one o' them Death Eaters, Professor. They used the Imperious Curse on me. Snapped right out o' it when you-know-'oo died. Took a while to clear me but I even got one o' those writ things from the Wizards Court to prove it."

"Well, I'm sorry that it's been so hard on you, Stan. I hope things work out for you here at the school. I'm sure Filch can use the help," Harry said, smiling a bit.

"Thank you, sir. Mighty decent o' you to say so," Stan replied, looking more at ease as he waved the two into the front hall.

Ginny looked up at Harry as they made their way towards the small side entrance to the Great Hall. She said,

"I'm surprised you didn't know about that, Harry. They didn't announce anything?"

"No, nothing at the staff meetings and I guess I don't spend a lot of time talking to the other teachers. I guess I should make more of an effort," he said softly. "Guess I'll ask Bill if he knew."

The two made their way into the Hall and didn't get more than a handful of steps inside when they heard an exclamation from Fleur. She swept down the steps to greet them in her usually enthusiastic manner. Harry observed that she was positively glowing and her smile was wide and bright. Her first hug was for Ginny who was practically enveloped by the taller Fleur. Next she took hold of Harry and he thought her slender, sinewy arms were going to squeeze the breath out of him. After a longer than usual embrace she leaned back and kissed him soundly on each cheek and then very uncharacteristically right on the lips. When he was able to pull back to look at her, he could see her face was aglow and her eyes were misty.

"Fleur? What's going on?"

She smiled again and leaned in to whisper in his ear and it was Harry's turn to smile wide and his green eyes went wide. Once more face to face he said,

"When? When did you find out?"

"Harry, what is going on?" Ginny asked, clearly confused.

Harry looked at Fleur and she nodded, so he turned his head, still mostly wrapped in Fleur's embrace. He said,

"Fleur's pregnant."

Ginny squealed in delight and added herself to the now three way hug. Through laughter and tears they learned she was due sometime in mid April. The whole time Bill was watching from his place at one of the smaller tables set up on the dais for the faculty and their guests. He finally managed to get their attention and waved them up. The three managed to hang on to one another as they made their way up the steps. He stood up and got handshakes from Harry and hugs from his little sister. Once they were seated Harry looked at Fleur and again asked,

"When did you find out?"

"Theese morneeng, mon frère. I 'ave been floateeng all day," she replied smiling and misty eyed.

"Have you mentioned it to Victoire yet?" Harry asked.

"Een a way. I asked 'er eef she thought she would like a leetle brother or seester. She said that yes she would but then she got very serious and looked at me and said, 'Does that mean that I 'ave to share Uncle 'arry?'"

Harry's eyes got wide as Bill and Ginny started to laugh. At this time the orchestra began its tune and both couples headed for the dance floor. As Ginny and Harry moved about he couldn't help but notice the thoughtful expression his wife wore. As the ending strains of the music died away and they came to a stop he asked,

"What are you thinking about, love?"

"Hmmm, oh, I was just thinking how wonderful it is that Fleur's pregnant again. She's been hinting for a while now about wanting another child and having someone for Victoire to grow up with."

"And you're thinking about that for us?" he coaxed.

"Well, yes, in time. But I want James up and walking around on his own before that. I kind of like the timing, two, maybe three years between," she replied.

"I think that's a great idea. We'll just have to make sure we practice now and then so we'll be ready when the time comes," he said with a perfectly straight face.

Ginny's eyes popped and she started to giggle and then she gave Harry a swat on the arm. A second song was begun so they swung back into the rhythm of the music, both smiling. For the third song they swapped partners and Harry found himself moving through a more stately number, Fleur moving with her innate grace and Harry with his more practiced footsteps. Fleur alternated between simply grinning to a huge full face smile. Harry couldn't help but smile in return. He finally said,

"Do you think that it will be a problem, I mean if little Vee starts feeling possessive about me?"

"I do not theenk so, 'arry. I worry more about when she comes to 'ogwarts. I'm afraid she weell steell see you 'as 'Uncle 'arry' and not 'Professor Potter'."

"I guess that could be an issue but I'll have plenty of time to get her used to the idea. I've managed pretty well with Abagail so far. I wouldn't worry about it. I know I told Ginny that I was worried about being a teacher here when all the kids would be around but actually I'm sort of looking forward to having them here," he said with a smile.

Fleur smiled back and pulled Harry into a hug and they danced that way for the last few bars of the song. She kissed his cheeks once more and then took his arm and walked him back to Bill and Ginny and the four made their way to the buffet table to begin dinner.

As they sat at their table Harry looked out and saw Abagail sitting with some other Ravenclaws. He noticed Tom wasn't there and there was no empty chair waiting for him. As always he only needed to look at her for a moment and she would turn and make eye contact. She gave him a small smile and he waved for her to come up to the table. She turned and said something to her table mates and then rose and made her way around the edge of the dance floor. Harry noticed some of the older boys watching her go by but no one spoke or tried to attract her attention.

As she got to the table she gave and got hugs from Ginny and Fleur and then she looked at Harry and Bill, her eyes squinting. Then with a shake of her head she wrapped her arms around Bill's shoulders briefly and then Harry's for a longer time. When she pulled back she said,

"You'll be my Professors for less than a year longer. You're my family forever. The rest of them," she indicated with a toss of her head to rest of the students and teachers, "will just have to get over it."

Bill and Harry both smiled and Bill gave her a small nod. Harry looked at her and said,

"I don't see Tom, or a place set aside for him," he said, leaving the question unasked.

"He had to go to Paris with Mr. Maxwell," she said. "Some sort of conference, I guess that stuff you had been working on," she finished a bit wistfully.

"Is something the matter, little one?"

"I'm not sure. Um, could I talk to you someplace a little more private? I don't mean to be rude but…" she tailed off, looking at Ginny.

"You go right ahead, sweetheart," Ginny replied.

Harry rose and together he and Abagail walked down the steps and out through the side door. The others watched them as they went. The corridor was empty and they found a spot where Harry could lean against a window ledge, Abagail standing facing him.

"So, what's going on, Abagail?" Harry said softly.

"Well, I'm not sure what's going on, Harry. For the last year or so I've been getting mixed signals from Tom. I'm pretty sure he likes me but sometimes he acts, I don't know, reserved, standoffish I think I've heard it called. He almost never talks about how he feels about things. And I'd never, ever try to look, you know? That would be so unfair, so I'm sort of stuck not knowing where we are or where we are going," she said, looking at Harry, those big dark eyes, looking confused and a bit hurt.

Harry stood up straighter and regardless of who might have noticed he reached out and pulled her too him. Her arms were around his back in and instant and held on tightly. There were no tears but he knew she was not very happy at the moment so he let her hold on until she was ready to let go, which she finally did. He leaned back against the ledge and held onto her shoulders with both hands, looking into her face.

"There may be a couple of things going on here. Don't forget that Tom is a bit older than you and he can remember when you were just a child. He may be having trouble coming to grips with the fact that you're essentially an adult woman. Then there is your association with me. And all those Aurors who he feels must be breathing down his neck. Do you remember at your sixteenth birthday party? You and Tom were sitting and talking. Well, I wasn't the only one watching you two. I'm sure he knew it and that's got to be putting some pressure on him. Then there's also just the mundane matter that some of us aren't all that good in how we relate to women and express ourselves. I had a terrible time of it. I think what you may have to do is be more direct. Ask him how he feels about you and about all that that implies. If you think it would help I'd be glad to talk to him as well," he said and then he looked at her a bit more seriously and said, "I want you to know something. It's true that I can be a bit overprotective. Probably my dragon side coming out, but what I want more than anything else in the world is for you to be happy and I'll do anything to make that happen. Do you believe me?"

She looked back at him just as seriously and placed her hands on top of his and said barely above a whisper,

"Of course I do, Harry. You've shown me that any number of times. And don't misunderstand me, I am happy. It's just that it feels like there's this little hole inside, you know?"

"Oh, yes. I know all about those holes inside. Let's see what we can do about this one, alright?"

"Thanks, Harry. I've said it before, but it's still true. You're the best."

They walked back into the room and to those watching it looked like Abagail was a bit lighter on her feet and she gave a smile and wave as she headed back to her table. Harry walked back up to the table and sat down. The others looked at him indicating they were waiting for an explanation. He looked back at them and without a change in expression said,

"Boy trouble. One of those things a dad has to deal with. You'll find out soon enough, Bill."

Bill's eyebrows shot up, considering the fact he was nearly a decade Harry's senior, but then he started laughing as did Ginny and Fleur, while Harry maintained his fatherly demeanor. They went through another round of dancing, this time Harry detouring to bring Abagail out onto the floor. It was a moderately paced tune and about midway through Abagail glanced up toward the ceiling, which reflected the night sky, dimly illuminated by a half moon and dotted with small clouds.

"Looks to be about time for your show, Harry," she said quietly.

"My show?" Harry replied with a touch of a smirk.

"Oh, forgive me, I meant your demonstration of dedication and allegiance to the grand traditions of Hogwarts and the protection of its faculty and students," she replied with an impish grin.

"Hmm, whatever you want to call it, you're probably right. I'll excuse myself after this dance."

When the music ended the dancers swirled to a stop and Harry walked with Abagail over to where Ginny was watching.

"I think it's time for me to get a little air, if you don't mind, love," he told his wife.

She just gave him a smile and a kiss on the cheek and replied,

"Have fun, sweetheart."

Harry smiled back and then sauntered out of the Hall and down the corridor. The door was unattended so he let himself out and made his way down towards Hagrid's hut. He could hear Norbie snuffling at the door but there was no barking. Once he was on the other side of the hut he Disapparated to the small clearing in the hills above Hogsmeade and within two heartbeats he was filling the clearing with his bulk. With a push off from two healthy rear legs he vaulted into the sky aided by a down sweep of his massive wings. In moments he was soaring into the mostly clear sky above Hogsmeade heading for the castle. He swung away from a direct line to the school and flew over the forest trying to get a feel from above where he had had some of his most frightening adventures.

He located the spot he believed to be the meeting circle of the Centaurs but he specifically chose not to try and find where they might call home. That he felt would have been an unwarranted invasion of their privacy. He swung back up and made a line to come at the school from the other side, sweeping in low just over the roof, a roar announcing his arrival. He dove down to skim along the lake, letting the tips of his talons touch the surface, creating small wakes as he passed. He pulled up sharply and rolled over to head back to the school. He could see students pouring out of the main door to get a look and as he passed higher overhead he let loose with a bright lance of plasma that lit of the grounds for hundreds of yards around.

He did a rolling turn and went out over Hagrid's hut and swung back around to come in slowly over the group bunched up on the lawn in front of the school. With deep back sweeps he came to a hover above them, the wind he created blowing back their robes and knocking off more than a few wizard's hats. He back pedaled away a bit and noticed a small figure separate from the crowd and move forward. He couldn't hear anything over the sound of his own wings but he thought that some were calling for the single soul to come back. Harry knew exactly who it was and he dropped down lower, her long hair and robes buffeted by the air blasts of his wings. Abagail came to stop directly below him and raised her hand. Dropping lower he extended one foreleg until the long talons on his foot were in reach. The small hand came to rest on the end of one of the great claws and they remained like that for a moment that was brief in reality but for those watching seem to go on forever.

Then she drew her hand back and stepped away. The great dragon lifted skyward and with a final blast of flame pivoted and dove away to rocket over the lake and disappear into the hills beyond the town. As Abagail walked back towards the school and the group of students and faculty watching, one student called out,

"Are you crazy? That thing could have crushed you without even thinking about it."

She looked back at him steadily with those bottomless dark eyes and then gave the boy an enigmatic little smile and shake of the head and then walked back to the stairs and the main door, followed slowly by the rest.


	4. Chapter 4

Professor Potter, Chapter 4

Harry was seated at his usual spot at the junior end of the Gryffindor table. It was the Monday evening after the Halloween Ball and the school was still buzzing with discussion about the unusual, at least as far as the student body was concerned, behavior of the dragon during its visit. A number of questions were directed to him during his classes that day and his two responses were 'perhaps it was trying to get a better look at the people it was protecting' or 'it wanted you to get a better look'. Both answers were deemed insufficient and the discussions continued.

Harry was working his way through some papers when he sensed more than heard someone approaching from his left side. He looked over and smiled a bit as Abagail moved to sit beside him. Every eye in the Hall had followed her progress and they were still darting over to catch a glimpse of guardian and ward as they sat side by side.

"Well, little one, how was your day? Did you get as many questions as I did?" Harry asked quietly.

"Not so many today, Harry. I think they've run out of ways to ask 'what were you thinking' or 'what was that all about' or 'what's a dragon's toenails feel like'," she said with a smile.

Harry thought he 'heard' an indignant snort from that corner of his mind when the word toenail was said.

"What have you been telling people?"

"I just said that I felt like the dragon was calling to me. I hinted that since I was the one who recognized it when the hybrid attacked and that it came to help that maybe a link had formed or something like that. With my history of psychic occurrences it sounds possible," she replied.

"I've noticed you getting more looks than usual."

"It's not a problem, Harry. I know you know what that's like," she said with a little grin.

"Oh yeah, that I do, and usually for things not nearly as cool as shaking hands with a dragon," he whispered.

Abagail laughed a breathy laugh and then fixed an appraising eye on her guardian and asked,

"And just what were you up to, Harry? What made you think to just hover there like that?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe I am a show-off after all," he said with a smirk. "Or maybe I was just trying to give them a better look. That the dragon is real and not necessarily something to be afraid of. You certainly helped there."

"If you say so, Harry," she replied with a smirk of her own.

"Hey, be nice," Harry laughed.

As the week progressed the novelty of the dragon's visit wore off and things returned to normal, or as normal as a castle full of witches and wizards in training could be. The first Quidditch match for Gryffindor took place that Saturday and while not spectacular, the results were solid. They played a see-saw match with Ravenclaw for over five hours until the Gryffindor seeker, Esmeralda Abercrombie, made an excellent catch of the snitch from a power dive that brought the stadium to its feet. Kreacher was making his presence felt and Bill Weasley was especially pleased.

As Harry settled more and more into the routine of classes and the interaction with his students, both formally in the classroom and informally in the Great Hall, his mood could best be described as contented. Despite all his prior misgivings he felt that he was in the right place at the right time and best of all, he was having fun. He was also looking forward to the upcoming Christmas holidays, the first with James. There was a bump in the initial planning, however, and it occurred on the Saturday after Halloween. Apparently, Grandma and Granddad Weasley hadn't gotten enough of James on Halloween night so they had dropped by Saturday afternoon for a visit. Arthur Weasley's reasoning that they had just taken the Popular out for a spin and 'happened to be in the neighborhood' was accepted graciously by Harry and Ginny but with a strong unspoken suspicion as well.

They were all sitting in the living room with James firmly in Molly Weasley's possession when the subject of the Christmas day festivities came up.

"Well, my dears, I guess we should give some thought to the upcoming holidays," Molly began. "I was thinking the other day that perhaps we should have it here. It's such a beautiful and spacious house."

"Absolutely not," was Harry's immediate and somewhat forceful response.

Both of his in-laws/parents and his wife looked at him with raised eyebrows. He coughed a bit and then said,

"Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound that way but you caught me by surprise. It's just that for me Christmas will always mean the Burrow. It's where I had my first real family Christmas and I don't think it would be the same anywhere else. I know the Burrow has the room and if it's a matter of the work, I'm sure that Kreacher and the others would be glad to lend a hand."

"Oh, it's not the work, Harry. I haven't gotten that old yet," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. "I just thought that with how much we've all enjoyed the times we've gotten together here but I understand how you feel completely. Some things just can't be improved upon."

And that was that. Although later in the day Mrs. Weasley did take Harry up on his offer for the additional help. She may not have been old enough yet to really need the help but she was wise enough to accept it when it was offered.

As the first semester was coming to a close Harry had also received a few messages from Charlie keeping him up to date on what was going on with the investigation of the Mysteries Department. They continued to uncover some bits and pieces of the Hybrid Conspiracy as it had come to be known. The former Director was officially listed as a fugitive from justice as was the head of Games and Sports. The complex of tunnels and chambers continued to be explored with no positive findings beyond the spatial oddities.

Harry was happy to be able to consider the last issue as an academic curiosity. He was still a little bothered by the difficulty the investigators were having coming up with anything on the hybrid. He couldn't believe that anyone could cover their tracks so completely. But again he was able to keep it in perspective and not let it intrude on his work or time with his students.

Winter that year decided to come in early and hard with a savage two day storm during the first week of November. High winds and heavy snow hammered at the buildings and grounds. Herbology classes were suspended because it was too dangerous for the students to make the trek to the greenhouses. Hagrid had to conduct his Care of Magical Creatures classes in the Great Hall, making use of the huge pockets of his moleskin coat to bring the subject animals along. On the morning of the third day the storm had passed and a bright sun in a cold sky shone down on waist deep snow, broken tree branches scattered about the grounds and a layer of ice covering the lake. Everyone wondered if they were in for a repeat of the previous winter's ridiculous weather. Stan Shunpike could be seen shoveling off the steps for the front door and Hagrid was trudging with snow to his knees, breaking trails for the students.

Harry had stayed at the school and when he returned home the evening after the snow had stopped he was happy to settle into his favorite chair, a fire roaring in the library hearth with Ginny and James close by. He was sipping from a cup of after dinner tea and not giving the book on his lap much attention.

"How's the book coming, Gin?" he asked.

"We've gone through all the proofs, Harry. Abagail's illustrations are all done. Everything is in the hands of the publisher and they expect to have a few test copies for review in a couple of weeks. If all goes well we should have books available for next year's students if Professor McGonagall approves. She's getting a test copy as well," Ginny replied.

"So who gets credit for what?" Harry asked.

"Hagrid and Charlie get writing credits, Abagail illustrations, of course, and me for editing. We agreed on even shares of the royalties. Once we're sure everything is alright, Charlie and I will start in on his book," Ginny said. "You know, Harry, I don't think I've mentioned this but I wanted to thank you for suggesting this. I know I wanted to write about Quidditch but this has been a lot of fun and very satisfying."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Gin. I bet once word gets out about these projects you'll see an offer again. Maybe not from the Prophet, but someone will be interested. Who knows, you may even get around to writing a book about Quidditch yourself," he replied.

"Maybe," she said as she looked at her husband and then squinted a bit. "How are you doing, Harry? Things have been fairly quiet since the second week of school or so. It's not getting to be too routine is it?"

"Routine?" Harry said with a laugh. "You mean anymore routine than going through daily reports, weekly reports, monthly rotation assignments and meetings, meetings and more meetings. Not hardly. With three different classes and all those students asking questions, it's far from routine."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was worried you'd get bored and go looking for trouble," she said with a straight face.

"I don't recall ever actually going looking for trouble. It always seemed to find me," Harry replied just as seriously.

"Hmm, that reminds me of a muggle rhyme I heard once, something to do with your pants catching fire," she said and then started laughing, while Harry maintained his innocent expression and then went back to his reading.

But what he had said about his classes was indeed true. Whether it was his relative youth, or his accessibility and openness, Harry's students had long since gotten past any awe factor that Eleanor had alluded to over a year ago. While never disrespectful or overly familiar, not a one of them would think to call him Harry, they nevertheless frequently asked questions, challenged ideas and offered their own interpretations of what he presented. Suffice to say he was having the time of his life.

As the final weeks of the semester wound down Harry's sessions at the table in the Great Hall were slowly increasing in size. On a couple of occasions he was even coaxed into a game of wizards chess. His activities had not gone unnoticed by the Head. On Monday evening of the last week before the holiday break, Harry was just about to take his seat at the Gryffindor table when Professor McGonagall came to stand across from him.

"Good evening, Professor Potter."

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall. Is there something I can do for you?" Harry asked politely.

"Actually, I was thinking about whether or not we needed to do something for you, Professor," she replied.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"When you were here last year for your sabbatical there didn't seem much point in trying to provide you with an office. However, now that you are fulltime it would seem more appropriate for you to have one. But then I began to wonder if you would ever actually use it," she said, regarding Harry over the top of her glasses.

"You may have a point there, Professor. It's not like I have lots of books or artifacts that I need to keep at hand and to be honest I'd probably just wind up out here anyway," Harry replied.

"Yes, that's what I surmised as well. There is, however, the issue of appearance, Harry," the Headmistress said, in a lower voice. "One needs to consider the dignity of the position of a Professor at Hogwarts."

"Oh," Harry replied, somewhat taken aback. "I guess I hadn't thought about it in that way."

The Headmistress offered a small smile and she said,

"I can well imagine that you hadn't. It just seems to me that it is wildly inappropriate that the 'famous Harry Potter' should have his work papers spread all over the junior end of the Gryffindor table."

At the sound of 'the famous Harry Potter' he winced a bit and then said,

"I appreciate the thought, Professor. As I said I don't think I need the space but whatever you think is necessary I'll go along with."

"Thank you, Harry. We'll give it some thought and I'll talk to you again after the break."

With that she gave Harry a brief smile and with a nod turned and made her way out of the Hall. As he took his seat Harry shook his head a bit at the idea of needing to maintain appearances. He looked up to see several students who had been hanging back during the discussion edging towards him. He smiled and waved them over.

Shortly thereafter the semester ended. He and Abagail were going to take the Floo Network home. She had asked Harry if it was alright. The Express didn't have much allure for her anymore. It hadn't snowed again since the vicious storm in early November and the temperatures had moderated enough that all the snow had melted away. Their walk to the little house in Hogsmeade was short and uneventful and in short order they were stepping out of the small structure in the garden in the rear of the house.

"Welcome home, little one," Harry said as they approached the back door.

"Thanks, Harry. My favorite two words, 'welcome home'," she said, looking up at him as they walked the short walk.

Harry smiled and the door swung open, this time with Dinkle doing the honors.

"Welcome home, Master Harry, Miss Abagail."

"Hello there, Dinkle. Thanks," Harry replied.

As the two entered the kitchen, Ginny hurried to greet them, James in hand.

"Hey there, you two. Oh, Abagail, how I've missed you," Ginny said as she caught the girl in a one armed hug.

"Almost as much as I've missed you all. Hello there, baby James," she said as she kissed the infant on the forehead.

James returned the favor by grabbing a handful of her long dark hair.

"Hey, there, go easy on your big sister, I've only just got here," she laughed as she gently disentangled his fingers.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I should have warned you. He has a thing for long hair. Not unlike his father," she said with a smile aimed at Harry.

"For admiring, my love, not for pulling on," Harry said with a laugh as they made their way out of the kitchen.

"Let's get you upstairs so you can get settled, young lady. I assume that bag contains something special," Ginny asked.

"Yup, Christmas presents, so no peeking," she replied with a breathy laugh.

As had become custom they had all been invited to Christmas Eve dinner and then staying over for Christmas day. The overnight guests included Bill, Fleur and Victoire as well as George, Angelina and Fred. George claimed he needed the break since about mid-November there had been a big rush on the store for just about everything imaginable. He prophesied that it would be a very noisy Christmas all across Britain.

Victoire was in a near frenzy. She couldn't decide where to focus her attention. There was Harry, Fred and now James vying for her interest. Once Christmas Eve dinner was over and everyone was sitting in the living room, she would move from place to place, spend a few moments and then scurrying off to check on someone else. It wasn't too long before all the running about took its toll and she finally wound up on Harry's lap, curled up and sound asleep. As usual Harry was bracketed by Ginny and Fleur. Bill looked at him from the chair next to the couch and said,

"So, Professor, what have you heard from Charlie lately?"

"Not a lot, Bill. The last message said he would talk to me tomorrow. He wanted to compare notes on this spatial distortion business. He thinks it sounds similar to what we experienced with the portal the smugglers had been using."

"I suppose," Bill replied. "All I know is it felt awfully strange when we were down there. Almost like either the space or we didn't belong."

"I'm afraid I was a bit too distracted at the time to really notice anything. But I think I know what you mean."

The conversation drifted to other topics and before long it was time for everyone to head off to bed, for tomorrow was going to be an early one. The house elves were going to arrive early to start preparations for breakfast and a full house was expected and expectations were certainly met. With the exceptions of the Grangers and Johnsons, who were due for dinner, all the members of the extended Weasley clan were in attendance.

True to his word, once breakfast was concluded and the gifts distributed, Charlie was able to get Harry aside for a few moments.

"When you took that long trip through the portal, what did it feel like?" Charlie asked.

"Well, when I first stepped in it felt sort of like a portkey but not as strong and without the feeling of motion. A little dizziness, some discomfort in the stomach, that sort of thing. Once I moved off and started walking, I found it was easier with my eyes closed. It was pretty much all pitch black but not trying to focus seemed to help," Harry replied.

"How did you know where you were going then, Harry?" Charlie asked.

"The same way I followed that snitch in the blizzard my seventh year," he said matter-of-factly.

Charlie just gave him a blank stare.

"What? You never heard that story?" Harry asked.

"I heard about the crack up but not any of the details."

So Harry proceeded to explain to Charlie what had happened that day. As he did Charlie's eyes got wider and wider. When Harry finished Charlie could only shake his head.

"Is that how you found that hidden passage that started all this?"

"It helped. I think my other self had a lot to do with it, too."

With another shake of his head and a shrug Charlie returned to the topic at hand.

"It does sound similar to what we've been hearing from the Goblins. I've taken a few trips through some of the upper levels and it feels odd. They say the deeper you go the more pronounced the effect."

"None of the Heads had anything to offer. As best I can tell, none of the more recent ones ever had access to Mysteries and none of the rest ever remember hearing about those kinds of features anywhere other than under Gringotts," Harry offered.

"Well, we're going to give it some more time but I think in the end the Minister will probably wind up having the whole thing walled off. If the Goblins find any link to the vaults I suppose they can either seal it or use it as a way to expand," Charlie said and then paused before going on. "I was wondering if you might consider taking a walk through with me."

Harry paused to consider Charlie's request. He had to admit that his curiosity was aroused. He had spent a considerable amount of time and money acquiring books on magic. Here was the opportunity to investigate a truly unusual phenomenon. On the other hand he had spent a little too much time recovering from the effects of various 'phenomenon' that he had encountered so far in his life. He looked over and saw Ginny sitting with James in her lap, playing with a small plush toy that had been in his stocking. Then he looked back at Charlie and took a deep breath.

"Alright. We can go in tomorrow. I have to admit I've been curious about what you've mentioned in your messages. Are you inviting Bill to come along?"

"Already have," Charlie said with a smile.

"Ok, I'll meet you in the Atrium tomorrow at nine, how's that," Harry replied.

"Great, Harry. Who knows, you might find some lecture material down there," Charlie said with a laugh.

Later that evening after dinner most everyone had retired to the living room. Harry and Ron were seated across from each other at the kitchen table, a wizards chess set between them, as usual. What wasn't usual was Audrey and Eleanor were sitting next to them playing they're own game on a set that Harry had given to Eleanor for Christmas. While not as large or elaborate as the pieces on his set in his library, Harry made sure that they were spelled with the same style of speech. About half way through their match Eleanor leaned over, her shoulder touching Harry's, and said,

"I can't thank you enough, Harry. This is just about the best present I've ever gotten. How did you ever think of this?"

"Oh, come on, El. It was so obvious. You practically drool on the board in the library whenever you play," Harry said with a smirk.

Eleanor's eyes shot up and she slapped Harry on the arm and then laughed, saying,

"I never have. Although I have been tempted to make off with one or other of the kings."

Harry was about to answer when he was interrupted by a cough from Ron and when Harry looked at him he got a 'look' in return. Audrey glanced sideways at Ron and gave him an elbow to the ribs.

"Ease up, master of the board."

Harry and El burst out laughing. They continued to play until guests began to leave. The house elves left the kitchen spotless and after many hugs and kisses farewell the Burrow emptied leaving Mr. and Mrs. Weasley standing in the center of the living room. Molly looked around and then at Arthur and said,

"Seems a bit empty, doesn't it, dear?"

"It does, indeed," he replied.

"I wonder if perhaps we should get a cat?" Molly said.

Arthur looked at her, startled, and she laughed and hooked his arm and they went to bed.

Boxing Day at the Potter household the next morning was something of a non event since the idea of switching places with the master and mistress was as foreign to a house elf as flying to the moon. Harry had a big breakfast that morning, as usual and walked with Ginny to the front door.

"Harry, please be careful, won't you? I know that the Goblins have been through the place but I still worry."

"I will, love. If anything looks even the least bit out of place, I'll back off," Harry replied.

She gave him a kiss and watched him Disapparate from the front porch. When he arrived at the Ministry it was very quiet as it was a public holiday. Charlie was waiting for him but Bill had yet to arrive.

"Thanks for coming, Harry. I hope Ginny wasn't too bothered by it."

"I think she's a little concerned, but then again I think she's concerned every time I leave the house. I think she still believes I intentionally go looking for trouble," Harry said with a smirk.

Charlie laughed but didn't reply as Bill stepped out of one of the fireplaces. He smiled as he saw Harry and his brother.

"Ok, gentlemen, why don't we go see what we can find out?"

With that they entered an elevator and made their way down to the next level, the ninth, and went through the door into the much changed Department of Mysteries. The rotating foyer of sorts was stationary with several of the doors remaining open, the rooms having been emptied. Charlie led them back to the corridor that took them to the false chamber that masked the 'dragon' room, now stripped bare, and on to the first of the underground chambers. Harry stood and looked around, taking in the numerous passageways that opened on the chamber. He saw the small bridge over the deep chasm. He also could feel some strange sensations, almost like goose bumps but under the skin. Then a thought occurred to him.

"Charlie, whatever happened to the dragon eggs?"

"It turned out they were all viable so I made arrangements with some of my contacts to get them back into the wild. We're hoping most of them will hatch, but we don't know yet," Charlie said.

Harry just nodded and went back to trying to feel what was going on. With a hand gesture, Charlie suggested they get started. The three wizards walked across the bridge and Harry stopped for a moment. Something tugged at the edge of his awareness but it passed as they reached the other side. They began to walk into one of the passageways. Harry could feel a slight lurch of sorts. Not entirely similar to what he had experienced before but close. They continued to walk in a straight line for perhaps ten minutes when the opening appeared. As they approached Harry scowled and when they walked out his eyebrows went up. Directly in front of them was the same bridge they had just crossed.

"See what I mean? You swear you're walking in a straight line and here you are. What do you think?" Charlie asked.

"That was certainly unusual," Bill said quietly.

"It did feel a lot like that portal, but not entirely. I felt something coming over the bridge, too. But at least the dragon is quiet. I don't think there's any danger, at least not up here," Harry said.

"Let's head down a bit then. The Goblins say it feels stronger the lower you go."

Charlie led them through another passageway and they definitely knew they were heading downward. The tugging at his senses he first felt on the bridge started to pull at him again. After about fifteen minutes of walking they came out into a smaller chamber that had more openings irregularly spaced around the walls. He slowly walked around the chamber pausing at the entrance to each one. When he approached the other two wizards from the opposite side Charlie raised his eyebrows, inviting a comment.

"There's something. I can't get my hands around it but there's something, almost like a tickling at the edge of my mind. Hang on a minute."

Harry took another circuit of the chamber and then walked back to an opening slightly to the left of directly across from where they came in. Harry nodded and his brothers followed him. The passage was only about a hundred feet long and came to a dead end. The wall at the end didn't look any different from the sides but it 'felt' different to Harry. He stepped up to it and as he reached out, he heard Bill from behind him,

"Careful, Harry."

He nodded without looking back at the two and placed his hand on the rock face. It was warm, not uncomfortably so, but warmer than it should have been. He reached with his other hand to the side of the passage and the rock was definitely cooler. He brought the second hand in contact with the rock face and he felt the rock soften. He applied a little pressure to his hands and found that the rock was giving way and then before he could react he felt himself being pulled through the supposedly solid surface. He barely heard a shout from Bill and then nothing.

A brief instant of darkness was followed by a dull blue glow that resolved itself into a clear view of another chamber, the air accented with fading sparkles. Harry remained standing where he was, examining his unexpected surroundings with all his senses, magical as well as mundane. There was no sound but at least the sense of his other self was quiet.

"Greetings, whoever you are. If you would come forward, in your own time," an oddly accented voice called to him.

Harry slowly walked toward the sound of the voice. The chamber opened up to Harry's left and as he moved into the space he saw the speaker. The individual he saw was resting in a semi-reclining position on a couch of sorts. By comparison, the dark wizard Harry had encountered in Romania was a teenager. The figure was draped in a black robe that may have fit at one time but was now several sizes to big. The face was mix of hollow cheeks, sunken eyes and wrinkles everywhere else. But the eyes still had a sparkle to them and the voice had not been that of an ancient.

"Please, come forward," the voice said. "I mean you no harm. Quite frankly, even if I did, I don't believe I could cause you any."

The voice betrayed a touch of humor as well as some bitterness. Harry stepped closer. The chamber was smaller than the others he had seen and was quite spare. Besides the couch, there was a small cushioned stool.

"Please, come sit beside me. No need to stand."

"Thank you. Might I know the name of the person I'm sitting beside?" Harry asked as he perched on the stool.

He was still trying to get a sense of who the wizened man, or so he assumed, was. The dragon was aware but quiet and Harry took that as a good sign. The stool was positioned so that the two could regard each other without the need to turn their heads. Harry wondered if he old man could move.

"I have had many names, in many places, and in many languages, young fellow. Perhaps the one that you would most easily recognize is Merlin."

Harry sat and stared for a moment and then smiled a bit.

"You doubt the truth of my words?" the ancient asked, his lip curled up in a very small smile.

"I mean no disrespect but for that to be true you'd have to be well over fifteen hundred years old," Harry replied.

"That number has no meaning for me. As for you it is in error by many times, but for the sake of argument, assume it to be true. Would you return the favor and tell me your name, my young friend."

"My name is Harry Potter, sir."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, young Harry. How is it that you found your way to my retreat?" 'Merlin' asked him.

Harry explained the investigation of the tunnels and chambers as the ancient regarded him. When he was done Harry asked,

"If you don't mind my asking, how long have you been here?"

"Again, the number has no meaning, but suffice to say far too long."

"How is it then that you speak, I'm not sure how to say this, well, like I do."

"Ah, an interesting piece of magic that. The moment you entered this chamber our understandings were aligned. Had you come here fluent in ancient Sanskrit we would still have been able to communicate."

Harry nodded, reminded of the lecture hall at Beauxbaton that allowed him to deliver his talk in English but everyone else heard the French translation. The enchantment here simply went beyond that by an order of magnitude or two. He was silently amazed.

"You said that I would know you by Merlin but you imply you have been others in the past?" Harry asked, his curiosity definitely piqued.

"Allow me to give you some idea, my young friend."

What followed for Harry was a tale rooted in the depths of time. It began with a boy born of a tribe of nomadic herdsmen. At a relatively young age the tribal shaman recognized a quality in him and began to initiate him into the mysteries of nature, the ways of bird and beast, and the lessons to be extracted from the night sky. In time he had come to replace the shaman. But all his knowledge was not enough to protect his tribe from an onslaught of marauders who killed most of his people, enslaved those who survived and left him for dead. He awoke in the camp of primitive hunter gatherers who, once he had recovered, came to regard him as a deity of sorts. This was perhaps enhanced by the fact that he had come to outlive several generations of the small band.

"For all the time I've been given to investigate the manner of my existence, I've never been able to understand the cause of my longevity, Harry. I've seen the rise and fall of civilizations. I've advised and mentored chieftains, warlords, emperors and kings. I've plumbed the depths of natural and supernatural phenomenon the world over, but the thing I know the least about is myself."

"I've felt that way a time or two in my life," Harry replied softly.

"It comes of being human, I fear, young Harry. Now, tell me something of yourself."

So Harry presented a much shorter tale, starting with what he knew of that night he first encountered Voldemort and what followed until he appeared in the chamber. The two wizards sat regarding one another across a vast chasm of years and experiences. The ancient who proclaimed himself Merlin gave Harry a brief smile and said,

"It would appear that the fates have shown me their favor at last. For one so young you've had an incredible career so far, young Harry. The dragon aspect of your nature is truly amazing. I am of course familiar with properties of animagic, I knew a few, but nothing of that nature. Based on your description it would seem you embody the essence of the Greater Dragons. They have been gone for a very long time but were said to be larger and more intelligent than the more common Lesser Dragons that remain to this day. Quite astounding. I have found your forays into the places between life and death of particular interest. I am of a mind to seek your aid, a barter so to speak."

"What aid could I possible give you, sir?" Harry asked.

"Do not misjudge the situation, young Harry. While it is true I once was a towering figure of might, as we sit here today, I am a pale shadow of what I once was. Your strength far exceeds my own, though you are but a small part of what you will likely become in the fullness of time," the ancient wizard said and then with a small laugh continued. "I see you don't believe me, at least about yourself, and perhaps that is to the good. I simply ask you recall these words in later life and admit the truth. But you seek to know the bargain. It is this. In exchange for my most prized possession you will help me recall that which I have forgotten and most desperately seek to recall."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Harry replied in confusion.

"The fault is mine, dear friend. Millennia of dealing in the mysteries of the world and foibles of humanity have made direct speech a difficulty for me. This is my most prized possession," Merlin said while he made the smallest of gestures with a wrinkled finger.

A small section of the rock wall to the wizard's side opposite Harry opened and a large tome appeared in the niche that was revealed. The leather binding was dark with age but to Harry's senses it radiated with a power of its own.

"That is the record of my life's work from the time when writing was first developed. It is yours if you can assist me. You'll find the later parts easy enough to comprehend. The earlier sections may prove a challenge but I will tell you that a key exists to unlock those parts should you have the patience and powers to unlock them."

"Its value is incalculable, sir. What can I help you remember that is worth that? You've probably forgotten more than I'll ever know in my lifetime." Harry asked, truly perplexed.

"I think you have overstated the matter, my friend. It is a simple, yet perhaps the most profound thing of all, young Harry. I can not remember how to die."

Harry sat dumbstruck. Was this, possibly the greatest mage of all time, asking Harry to kill him?

"No, Harry. I see the question in your eyes. You have not the nature of the executioner in you and that is not what I ask. By your own words you have had contact with the other side of the Veil a number of times. I need you to show me the way."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Harry, look at me, look around you. I've outlived my usefulness by centuries. I exist in a place frozen in time, barely aware of the passing of the years outside the bounds of this, my last domain. It would be the greatest kindness imaginable for you to show me the way home."

Harry looked into the deep set eyes, almost able to watch the passing of the eons they had witnessed. He knew it was something he had to do, but he wished he had Abagail there to help. He nodded and said,

"I will try to do as you ask. I can't ensure success but we will try. Are you ready?"

"I've been ready for more years than you can imagine, young Harry. Do what you must and I will follow as best I can," Merlin said.

Harry settled onto the stool more squarely, wishing he had his library chair there. He took a deep breath and willed himself to relax. He tried to picture that place where Abagail and he would meet in his minds eye. He could feel the lassitude wash over him and he sunk into that place between wakefulness and sleep. As best he could he sent out his thoughts seeking the one image that he thought was closest and most likely to respond. His thoughts contained the single worded question he hoped would work.

"Mother?"

He tried again.

"Mother, are you there?"

The formless gray began to swirl, not unlike when he was in coma after the battle with the first hybrid. Out of the shifting patternless mists, if that's what they could be called, a single figure stepped forth. The slender frame, long red hair and brilliant green eyes captured Harry's full attention.

"Harry, my dear boy. I heard you call and thought not to come but it was suggested to me that this time it would be safe. Why are you here?" Lily asked.

"I need your help to help someone else, Mum. I need you to guide someone to the other side."

"Harry, dear. I can't help someone do such a thing. That's the same as suicide," Lily replied.

"No, Mum, it's not. Please try and understand," Harry said and as succinctly as possible told his mother what had just occurred.

When he was finished he looked at his mother and said,

"He needs our help, Mum."

Lily made to look over her shoulder, back into swirling gray behind her. When she looked back she wore a small smile and her eyes danced a bit.

"This explains much, Harry. Alright, I'll be his guide. Can you bring him here?" she asked.

"I'll try," Harry said but before he could try the form of the wizened ancient appeared standing next to him, his spirit apparently much stronger than his physical self.

"My apologies, young Harry. I never was able to break my habit of eaves dropping," Merlin said, the deep set eyes now ablaze, his lips curled in humor. "And this must be your mother, the eyes tell it all."

"Yes, sir. This is Lily Evans Potter, mum," he said with a gesture, "this is the wizard we know as Merlin."

"The best known, perhaps, for there were several to bear the title," Merlin offered. "Harry, you have done me service beyond all others. I trust you will use what you learn well. I'm sure you will."

"Thank you, sir, I will try my best," Harry said and then turned to his mother. "Thank you, Mum. I love you."

"I love you, too, son. We all do. Know that we are always close."

"I know," he replied, his eyes filling.

The spirit of the ancient wizard stepped away from Harry and walked to stand by Lily. His movements gave lie to his great age and his smile was almost boyish as Lily hooked her arm in his and with a last look at her son, led the greatest mage there ever was out of sight of possibly the greatest mage to ever be.

Harry stayed and watched the gray mist swirl to erase any evidence of their passing and then with a sigh he began to return to the world of wakefulness and just before he became aware of the room he thought he felt a light touch from a familiar source. He sat on the stool and looked at the couch, now covered by the now empty black robe. There was no trace of any bodily remains. He stood up and walked over to the small nook in the rock wall and slowly took hold of the book, as if afraid it too would disappear but it remained solid, if aged. He lifted it and found it to be heavy but manageable.

He turned and began moving back to the rock face he had first passed through and wondered in passing how long he had been here and how Bill and Charlie were doing. When he was near enough to the wall to touch it he placed one hand flat on the rock. This time it only took the one hand and he felt the rock soften and with a light push he was pulled through again. As he stepped into the passageway he nearly ran into Bill who was rushing forward with a shout.

"Harry, good lord, what happened? Where did you go?" he said.

"Apparently, this wall was spelled to transport someone. I wound up in a smallish rock chamber. I found this book there," Harry said, his voice a little distant. "How long was I gone?"

"Almost no time at all, Harry," Charlie replied. "You disappeared into the wall and were back out about two seconds later."

"Hmm, it felt like a lot longer," he mused.

"Harry, are you ok?" Bill asked.

"I think so, Bill. I just need to think about what went on in there."

"What about the book, Harry, do you think it's safe?" Bill asked.

"I'd think so, but maybe we should check. Why don't you try Specialis Revelio?" Harry suggested.

Bill nodded and produced his wand. He tapped the tome in Harry's hands and spoke the words. As Harry suspected, nothing happened. Charlie's face looked troubled.

"What's wrong, Charlie?" Harry asked.

"Well, I'm not sure if that book shouldn't stay with the Ministry."

Harry smiled a bit and said,

"I won't say something as silly as finders-keepers but I think in this case I'd have to insist on holding on to it. I'll keep you up to date on what I find out."

Charlie looked at Harry, the serious set of his mouth and something about the eyes he had never seen before. It wasn't as if the dragon was trying to emerge but more like Harry had seen something no one else ever had and would likely be forever changed by it. He nodded.

"Alright, Harry. If we can't trust you with it, we can't trust anyone. I think we've done enough today. I think maybe we should all head out to the Meadows to make sure you get home, Harry. You look a little dazed," Charlie said.

"And a little confused, too. Let's go home. You can stay for lunch," he said with a bit of his usual dry humor.

They went back up to the Atrium, leaving behind the odd feelings. Harry had noticed that as soon as he had come out from the rock face he no longer felt the tugging on his awareness. They took the floo network back to the Meadows and when Kreacher opened the back door for them he looked at Harry and instead of the usual welcome home he said,

"All is well, Master Harry?"

"I think so, Kreacher. Did you sense something?"

"For the smallest moment it felt like Master Harry had gone very far away and then back again," the little house elf said.

The two brothers following along behind looked at each other and nodded a bit. Harry carried the heavy book through the kitchen and in to the library where he took it and set it by itself on a shelf. Then he stepped back and looked at it. He was interrupted when Ginny and Abagail rushed into the room.

"Harry, did something happen in those caves? Abagail said she felt something odd, but just for an instant."

Harry nodded and said,

"Yes, something odd happened. Nothing dangerous but very unusual."

He explained about getting pulled through the rock face, then finding the book and returning. He didn't mention any of the rest. He needed time to think about it. He also needed to go see Professor Dumbledore for a serious discussion. Ginny walked up to the book but didn't reach out to touch it.

"It feels a lot older than it looks. Does that sound silly?" she asked.

"No, love. You're probably right, as usual. I'll need to study it to figure it out," he said, honestly but still evasively.

Abagail said nothing but simply stood back regarding Harry with those big, bottomless eyes. Harry mentioned something about lunch. Ginny nodded and then took both her brothers by the arms and led them out. Before joining them, Abagail came over to stand by Harry as he continued to look at the book. Without looking up at him she said,

"This is like the dragon, right Harry? You need some time before you can tell us everything?"

He looked down at her and said,

"That's right, little one. This could be much more important than the dragon will ever be. What did you feel? I thought you were there right at the end."

"I'm not sure, Harry. In real time it was just an instant, but as I think about it, it seems like it went on a lot longer. I know you went to that place but I couldn't get there. It also seemed like your mother left the house for a while. Not to mention the sense of a very strong presence near you for most of it," she said and then she looked at him, seeing his eyes, and just nodded.

"Come on, Harry, let's go get something to eat," she said as she took hold of his arm and steered him away from the book and out of the library.

They paused as Harry closed the door. Abagail took out her wand and tapped the door and muttered 'Collaportus'. Harry nodded this time and they walked into the kitchen.

The rest of the holiday break passed without incident. The book remained on the shelf. Harry was not ready to begin probing it's mysteries until he had a chance to talk to the former Headmaster but he wasn't going to rush that encounter. He needed time to think about what had occurred and prepare the kinds of questions he needed answers to.

He and Abagail returned to school that Monday morning. He got through his classes without any problems but his students noticed he wasn't quite the same, appearing somewhat distracted. After dinner, at which he only ate two servings, he made his way to the Room of Requirements. He was sure he was never more in need of the room than this night. When he swung open the door he was relieved to see it ready. There was a large chair, the empty picture frame and this time, a small hearth below the frame, with a cheery fire blazing away.

Harry sat down and spent a few moments staring into the fire, as he often did when he was ill at ease and then looked up and said,

"Sir? Professor Dumbledore, are you there?"

"Harry? Is that you?" a voice called from beyond the side of the frame.

"Yes, sir. If you have the time I really need to talk to you."

"One moment, my boy."

Harry looked back down at the fire until he heard the voice more clearly.

"Harry, what can I do for you?"

When Harry looked up, Dumbledore had that small smile and his eyes twinkled from behind his glasses. The smile faded when the former Headmaster saw Harry's face.

"You appear deeply troubled, my boy."

"Yes, sir. I am. Something happened during the break and as usual, I need your advice."

"As always I am completely at your disposal. Please, tell me what happened, in your owe time," Dumbledore said.

And so Harry did. He told his mentor everything that had occurred and every word that was spoken and ever sensation he felt. He left nothing out. When he was done he sat back deeper into the chair and waited. Dumbledore regarded him over the tops of his glasses.

"Truly amazing, Harry. Were it anyone other than you I would suspect subterfuge. Such an encounter is without parallel, to my knowledge. One can only begin to imagine what that tome contains. The work of a lifetime, several times over perhaps."

"Yes, sir. The translations of the early parts are likely such an effort in themselves," Harry replied.

"But it's not the work, or even the tome that has you concerned, is it, my boy?" Dumbledore said.

"No, sir. It wasn't easy seeing and talking to my mother like that, for one thing. But it was the right thing to do; he was so tired, so worn out. He never did tell me how he came to be in that chamber, or how he survived. I didn't see food or water or anything. He did mention something about being frozen in time. Maybe that explained how I spent so much time talking to him and Bill and Charlie only seeing me gone for an instant, but still his mind was clear. It must have been so lonely," he said looking down into the fire again.

"I believe it was an act of great kindness, Harry, and fully in keeping with your nature. But that's not the issue, either, is it?"

"No, sir. It's what he said about the two of us. He said that as I am now, with all I can do, the dragon, all of it, it's only a small part of what I might become someday. I'm getting that overwhelmed feeling again, I think," he said with a little smile.

"That too is in keeping with your nature, Harry. Those of us who have watched you mature and have had the chance to interact with you and discuss your various adventures and exploits," he said casting a brief glance off to the side of the picture frame, "have often commented on your extraordinary potential. Now add to that the legacy of that book, it would not be out of keeping to say your future could have no parallel. But you should take some comfort my boy. In keeping with your nature, I don't feel I would be remiss in saying that you have little to fear. As you have in the past you will likely continue to use whatever power and knowledge you amass for the good of the community."

Harry looked up to see Dumbledore regarding him with a kindly smile.

"I would hazard to think that anything you discovered concerning beneficial properties of plants would be shared with Mr. Longbottom, yes?"

"Of course, sir."

"And St. Mungo's would benefit from any healing spells or potions you uncover?"

Harry nodded.

"And on and on. Do you remember what we talked about that day, after you rescued your Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes, sir. That life was about the choices we make," Harry said.

"That's right, my boy. As far as I know, you have never failed in the choices you've made. You have also surrounded yourself with a family that will support you to the very end. I think I am right when I say that your benefactor could have found no one better to pass on his incredible legacy."

Harry's eyes darted back to the fire and then up to meet those of Dumbledore's. He smiled at bit once more and then said,

"It's going to take a pretty big pair of shoulders to bear the weight of this responsibility."

"Perhaps those of a dragon, my boy?" Dumbledore replied and then he laughed a throaty chuckle. "It's almost ironic in a way, too, Harry."

"How do you mean, sir?"

"For all that time in your second year, many thought you were the Heir of Salazar Slytherin. Now it seems that you were destined to be the heir of Merlin."

Harry could only nod, smile a bit, and then stare back into the flames, hoping to catch of glimpse of the future.


	5. Chapter 5

Professor Potter, Chapter 5

Harry lay on the narrow bed in the small room that he used the two nights a week that he stayed at the school. He was staring up at the beams in the ceiling above him thinking about the discussion he had had with Professor Dumbledore regarding his recent encounter with the ancient mage who referred to himself as Merlin. Harry was still having difficulty believing the man really was the legendary wizard. He had heard the spirit introduce himself to his mother, Lily, as one of several who had borne the name of Merlin. Harry had always thought 'Merlin' was one man's name and not attributed to more than one wizard.

He was feeling a little more at ease after the discussion especially with the idea that his mentor felt Harry was more than well equipped to deal with the responsibility, and by inference, the temptations associated with the knowledge and power inherent in the bequest of the tome. Those assurances aside it was still a daunting idea that he was the inheritor of all that the tome represented. He also wondered about the words 'Merlin' had used when he compared his declining powers and Harry's ascendant strength. Just what was his potential and how far would he progress in the course of his life? Despite the heavy quilt on the bed he felt a chill and it had little to do with the wintery weather outside.

Eventually he drifted off to sleep and his mind continued to examine the possibilities resulting in some rather bizarre imagery and partial dreams. He was a little fuzzy when he awoke the next morning. As he walked to his place at the table for breakfast, Professor McGonagall gestured to him.

"Professor, if I could have a few moments of your time directly after lunch this afternoon?"

"Hmm, oh, yes, certainly, ma'am," Harry replied.

"Harry," the Headmistress said quietly, "are you alright?"

"Yes, ma'am. A little fuzzy headed this morning. Didn't sleep all that well last night."

"I see, well, enjoy your breakfast and I'll speak to you this afternoon then."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied as he made his way to his seat.

Bill was sitting at his place already. Hagrid's seat was empty. Bill regarded Harry closely as the younger wizard sat down.

"How are you holding up, Harry?"

"Doing a little better, Bill," Harry replied in hushed tones. "I had a chance to go over some things with Professor Dumbledore last night and that helped. I think I'll need to have a family meeting this weekend. Or at least selected members, I'm not sure yet."

Bill looked puzzled and then said,

"There was more to that hidden chamber than just the book, wasn't there, Harry?"

"Yes, there was. But I needed some time to think about it and talk to the Professor first. I'll talk to Ginny tonight about setting something up. That will give me a few more days to think my way through it."

"Alright, Harry. If that's how you want to handle it, we'll be there," Bill said.

One thing that Harry had decided the night before was that he was going to have to share this with at least some of the family. Professor Dumbledore's comment about how his family would support him was not just an idle statement. If nothing else he needed to address a small but insistent fear that his 'uniqueness', for lack a better word, could push him to that place he dreaded most, alone. He kept telling himself that he was just being silly, but some place in the back of his mind the fear still lived, fueled by the notion that there was only so much 'different' people were willing to tolerate.

As the week progressed he did his best to maintain his usual demeanor with his students and a few incidents helped to improve his mood. The first was a short discussion with Davey Dickerson. According to the boy, he had had a chance to talk to his dad several times over the break, and while there was no major breakthrough the man had at least indicated he was willing to consider the idea that he had misjudged the situation and that haranguing Harry on a public street was probably not the best thing he could have done. In addition, Davey showed Harry a sketch he had done of a three masted schooner with the help of significant coaching by Abagail. Harry thought it was an excellent job and said so, although he had to take the boy at his word about what kind of ship it was. Harry didn't know a three master schooner from a beer schooner.

The second was his discussion with Professor McGonagall after lunch as she had requested. She had met him at the bottom of the steps from the dais in the Great Hall and suggested he walk along with her.

"Harry, after our discussion before the break about offices and such I came to a decision and made arrangements over the holiday. As of today, my old office and rooms are now yours. After much persuasion by Dumbledore, I've moved into the Heads apartment permanently. Apparently Albus puts some store in the idea of appearances, as well."

"But Professor, what about Professor Sprout, isn't she the Deputy Head?" Harry asked.

"It doesn't work that way, Harry. The Deputy doesn't have a separate set of rooms. Plus Professor Sprout is so firmly entrenched out there in the greenhouses it would take a dragon to pull her out of there," the Headmistress said with a smile and laugh.

"Well, if you say so," Harry replied.

"Harry, don't fret so. My rooms are no larger than anyone else's and their proximity to your classrooms is reason enough for you to use them."

Harry nodded and when she showed him both rooms he admitted they would be comfortable but modest. A little voice was telling him he was being a bit ridiculous about the whole notion but he still had his concerns. A consequence of this conversation was a visit to the greenhouses for Harry. Hearing about Professor Sprout reminded him he hadn't been out to see what progress was being made, or perhaps more importantly, to visit with his friend, Neville.

After his classes concluded on Thursday he walked down to the greenhouses, a trip thankfully free of snow. The one wicked storm at the beginning of November had been all the snow so far. He walked across the winter browned grass bundled against the cold, it was winter in the Highlands after all. When he opened the door to the first greenhouse he felt the rush of warm, moist air and his glasses fogged immediately. He had to wipe them several times before they warmed enough to stop fogging. He made his way back to the research area and he paused and smiled a bit at the brass name plaque that honored his parents.

"Harry, it's great to see you," he heard Neville call to him as he stepped into the ordered and definitely green confines of the research greenhouse.

"Hello, Nev. It's good seeing you. As a trustee I figured I'd better stop by and see how you're doing here," Harry said, looking serious and official.

Neville's eyebrows went up and Harry started to laugh. So did Neville. He waved Harry in and started to show him around, pointing out the various plants that they were growing and what they hoped each would offer in the way of cures or medicines. Harry was amazed at the progress that he and Professor Sprout had made in so short a time and with so few original samples and he said so.

"Thanks, Harry, but a lot of the credit has to go to you. Without your support we'd be next to nowhere on this. We've managed to attract the attention of a few high caliber students and they've been a big help in moving things along."

"Mine was the easy part, Nev. You and yours are doing all the hard work. Say, how come we don't ever see you up at the castle for meals?" Harry asked.

"What can I say, Harry. I'd just rather spend time at home with the family. You know how that is," Neville said with a smile.

"Yes, I do," Harry said, thinking of Hannah running the Cauldron and taking care of a daughter born just a few months earlier and without the assist from grandparents or siblings. "And I figure Hannah needs the help what with the baby and all?"

"It's not so bad really. With the apartment upstairs she can go up and take a break in between meals and she brings little Alice down when it gets busy and she carries her around in one of those carryall packs," the proud father said with a grin.

"I'll talk to Ginny this weekend and we'll pick a Saturday and come in to see you for dinner, the three of us."

Neville smiled and finished giving Harry the tour. They chatted about business for a few minutes more and then Harry left. As he was walking back to the castle he thought about how fortunate he was to have his family and how difficult it must be for Neville and Hannah who had almost no one they could fall back on except perhaps Neville's aging grandmother. And him.

The week ended quietly and Harry returned home Friday evening. He hadn't touched Merlin's tome since he put it on the shelf but he thought he should at least have some idea of what it contained before the small gathering Ginny had arranged. They were expecting both parents, Bill, Fleur, Charlie and Eleanor, Ron and Hermione and Abagail who was making a short visit just for the afternoon. Harry had considered George and Angelina but they were taking advantage of the seasonal slowdown for both businesses to steal a little time for themselves and Fred for a vacation trip. Harry wasn't sure what to do with Percy. He had resisted any attempt by Abagail to talk to him over the holidays. He was shrewd enough to know where such a discussion would lead and he wanted no part of it.

Harry was faced with another more practical issue where the large book was concerned. He was accustomed to reading sitting in his favorite chair either holding a book or having it rest in his lap. The tome was just that, a large heavy volume that in no way was meant to be read in such a comfortable, convenient manner. For the time being he just stood in front of the bookcase and opened the book as best he could. The desk by the window was covered with materials from Ginny's projects and he shuddered to think of the consequences of disturbing any of it. He'd have a talk with his dad afterwards tomorrow to see what they might work out.

As the ancient wizard had stated, the beginning of the book was filled with characters Harry didn't recognize at all. He had only a passing familiarity with the kind of symbols used in Egyptian hieroglyphs or Babylonian cuneiform but what he was looking at was as alien to him as anything that might have come from outer space. He continued to work his way through the many pages of parchment. He was reasonably sure that pages of such age should be falling to dust in his hands but then he considered that perhaps the tome had been a more recent recopying of an older text. He moved ahead a few pages at a time. He noticed that the 'writing' gradually changed and then it changed and appeared to be written in what looked like ancient Greek, which he had seen samples of when he was in muggle school. Next came Latin and that took up almost half of the volume before a more modern English appeared. Harry recalled that learned people tended to us Latin long after it had ceased to be used as an everyday language. This gave him some hope that much of the translation wouldn't end in a wild goose chase.

He began to skim the English portion and what he found amazed him. There were treatises on the fundamental nature of magic. The basics for spell creation and potion formulation were there as well. If the rest of the tome contained anything on a par of what he had already seen, what he was touching was without a doubt the most valuable object in all of Wizardom. He wasn't going to just need a stand or lectern but an entire secure room to house the tome. He thought it might be about time to see what was in the basement.

That night when Harry crawled into bed, Ginny was already asleep, or so he thought. As he lay on his back staring up at the ceiling she shifted around and snuggled up at this side, her arm across his chest. He brought his face to rest on the top of her head, the soft red hair cushioning his cheek.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Gin? I thought you were asleep."

"I was," she replied. "Are you alright? You seem so subdued since you came back with that book."

"I guess I'm ok. I've just been trying to wrestle with some things that I heard and saw in that room. I had a talk with Dumbledore Monday night and that helped some. Hopefully, when we all discuss it tomorrow that will help more. You're not upset that I'm waiting to tell you along with everyone else are you, love?"

"Not really, Harry. I've learned you never do things without a reason, and usually your reasons are good ones, very good ones. We'll find out tomorrow if that's still the case."

Harry smiled in the darkness and rubbed his cheek a little against the wealth of red hair. Ginny murmured low in her throat and snuggled tighter against Harry's side. Then she tilted her head back and said,

"As for now, I think you need to take your mind off your troubles for a little while."

She moved up a bit and started to kiss Harry and he forgot all about his 'troubles' for quite a while. For the next day Ginny had arranged things so that those invited would arrive in time for lunch and then the meeting and discussion would take place afterwards. Harry took the time that morning to go through more of the English portion of the tome. Although he didn't need it, it contained more and more evidence that this book would need to be treated with great care and far more wisdom than he felt he possessed. As noon approached he closed the book and left the library, using his wand to lock the door.

He sat in the dining room, which was set for lunch and waited quietly for his family to arrive. A few minutes before the clock in the hall struck the hour, Kreacher showed Charlie and Eleanor into the room. Charlie shook his hand and Eleanor wrapped him in a tight embrace. They were followed closely by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Harry's mum held him at arm's length but said nothing as she looked into his eyes, then she pulled him close for a moment before releasing him. Ron and Hermione were more low key with Ron just giving him that lopsided grin while Hermione laid a hand on his forearm. Bill and Fleur's arrival held no such restraint. Fleur practically ran into the dining room and caught Harry up in a fierce embrace. It was obvious that she was whispering rather insistently in his ear and the look on Harry's face was a mix of amusement and chagrin. When it appeared she finally had her say she pulled back and gave Harry the customary kisses and then looked at him, her blue eyes boring into his green. Harry chose to just kiss her forehead and in deference to her impending motherhood, guided her to her chair and held it for her as she sat. She appeared almost embarrassed by the attention. Bill clapped Harry on the shoulder.

Abagail was the last to arrive. She hurried in from the direction of the kitchen having arrived by the floo network. She hurried up to Harry and took his hand in hers. She looked up at him, breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I had trouble getting away. Just as I was leaving one of my roommates cornered me about some homework I was helping her with. I ran all the way to the cottage."

"That's ok, little one. We were just getting started," he said looking down at her and then turned to the rest. "Please sit down everyone. I'm not sure which would have been better but I think it would be a good idea if we ate first. I know you're most likely pretty anxious to know what's going on but I'd like to wait on that until we are done. I will say that I don't think this is anything dire, but it is pretty amazing and likely to be very important and I'm going to need your advice and support, so that's why I asked you here, since you've been so good at it in the past," he said.

The house elves began pushing in carts with various bowls and platters and floated them onto the table. Harry took the interruption as a way to redirect the conversation.

"Fleur, where's my girl today?"

"My parents are visiteeng, 'arry. They are enjoyeeng some time alone weeth 'er."

"Oh, I hope I didn't ruin your plans by asking you here."

"Theenk notheeng of eet 'arry. They would 'ave pushed us out of the cottage by now anyway," Fleur said with a smile.

Harry just nodded. The meal passed pleasantly enough, if a bit on the rapid side and before long they had all moved to the living room where they sat on various couches and chairs, Harry sitting by the fire. Mr. Weasley started the discussion.

"Alright, son, we're all here and fed. What is it you wanted to talk to us about?"

"It starts with what happened at the Ministry last week. I'm sure you know about me going through that wall and coming out with the book. A lot more happened than that. I wasn't sure how or if I should ever mention the rest, but I had a long discussion with Professor Dumbledore this past Monday night and he made it pretty clear that I should look to you all for support," Harry began.

He heard something muttered in French that he took to mean, "Too true".

"When I passed through that wall, I was in a small chamber in the rock, maybe half the size of this room. There was a man there, a very old man," he continued and at the mention of the man both Bill and Charlie sat up a bit.

Harry proceeded to tell the tale of his encounter with the ancient wizard. When he mentioned the name 'Merlin' everyone's eyes went wide. He provided full details of the discussion of their experiences and when he described the barter that the mage wanted more than a few mouths opened. His description of his journey to that middling place between this life and the afterlife created a few misty eyes and when he described how his mother looked back at him as she led the spirit mage into the swirling gray he felt two gossamer like hands come to rest on his shoulders. He looked over at Abagail and she nodded and smiled softly. He finished up with a description of his retrieving the book and rejoining Bill and Charlie. The room was silent except for the crackle of the fire. Ginny was the first to speak.

"What did Dumbledore have to say about all this, Harry?" her voice barely above a whisper.

"He thought it was the most amazing thing he'd ever heard of by a long way. He also agreed with what the old mage had to say about what might be in store for me," he replied, speaking softly and not really looking at anyone. "He also said that he didn't think there was anyone better suited to be the custodian of such knowledge as the book might contain. But he strongly suggested that I should look to you all for whatever help I might need. And I think I'm going to need it."

He looked around the room and when he came to Fleur she said,

"What ess eet that frightens you so much, 'arry?"

'Good ol' Fleur' Harry thought to himself.

"Do you remember that conversation we had in the garden at Beauxbaton?" he asked.

"Oui, mon frère."

"And then what Dr. Parsons said about me and what it all really meant?"

She simply nodded.

"I can't help but think that if this Merlin or whatever his name really was and Dumbledore are right, where will I be ten years from now, or twenty or thirty? And maybe more importantly, what will I be?" he said.

"Don't you mean 'who', Harry?" Eleanor asked.

"I'm not sure which is correct, El. Voldemort was more of a what than a who there at the end."

"Harry, dear," came the voice of Molly Weasley, "if you think that the end result of all this knowledge you've be given and whatever abilities and strength you might develop in the years to come must be your becoming like Voldemort you just better forget that right now."

"But, Mum…"

"Don't you 'but, Mum' me, young man," Molly said sternly. "What made Voldemort Voldemort wasn't his strength or the depth of his knowledge; it was his twisted mind and his evil intent. It was how he saw the world and his place in it. Do you think he was any stronger than Dumbledore, or knew more? I'd think not and look at the wizard Dumbledore was."

"Mum, I hardly think that I can compare myself to Professor Dumbledore."

"Harry," Mr. Weasley cut in, "Albus Dumbledore was well over a hundred years old when he died. That's hardly a fair comparison for you to make."

Before Harry could respond Bill said,

"Harry, I don't know if this will make you feel better or not, but if you're concerned about having Professor Dumbledore as a role model because it would somehow be out of reach, understand that you have gone beyond him at a comparable age."

"How do you know that?" Harry asked.

"He told me. I was speaking with Professor McGonagall in the Heads office about how we wanted to structure your sabbatical year and the former Heads started to discuss the pros and cons and Professor Dumbledore commented that he thought your strength, experiences and abilities surpassed his when he was the same age. True or not, Harry, the important thing to remember is that in the end you make the choice. You know that and you've done it any number of times. Don't you trust yourself?" Bill asked.

"I don't know that I'd trust anyone with this. I guess that's why I'm talking to all of you," Harry said as he looked around the room. "I guess I'm starting to sound a little whiney, huh?"

Mr. Weasley laughed a bit and said,

"I wouldn't say whiney, Harry, but it sounds somewhat familiar. Do you recall the discussion we had in the kitchen at the Burrow? You were having some trouble coming to grips with the idea of being the Chief of Magical Law Enforcement if I recall."

"Yes, sir. I remember it very well," Harry replied.

"Do you remember what I told you?"

"Yes, I guess you're referring to your observation that I get like this after some sort of big emotional turmoil or some such," Harry said a bit wryly.

"Just so, Harry. And as I said then, I suggest you take some time to consider what has happened and how you need to approach it. If your work at the Ministry is any guide I'm sure you'll deal with this just as ably," Mr. Weasley said.

"I hope so, sir. I guess it was just a bit unnerving. I thought I was getting settled in at Hogwarts and now this," he said with a bit of a laugh.

"Harry," Hermione began, "personally I don't think the timing could be any more perfect."

"What do you mean, Hermione?"

"Think about it, Harry. You're a fulltime professor at Hogwarts. You've been conducting your own private study of magic since you graduated. You have access to Professor Dumbledore and all the other former Heads. What greater research project could you find than this and who would be better suited to conduct it?"

Harry didn't respond beyond a small smile. He took a deep breath and said,

"Maybe I should show you the book now."

He felt the touch on his shoulders fade away but one ghostly hand did caress the back of his head and then was gone. He stood up and Ginny came to stand at his side and hooked his arm with hers. The two led the way out of the living room and to the door of the library. He took his wand and tapped the door and then turned the handle. The rest followed the two and arranged themselves in a loose arc in front of the bookcase.

"Well, here it is," Harry said.

He opened the tome, gently folding back the heavy cover.

"As you can see the first pages are some kind of early picture writing. Its starts looking more familiar further on," he said as he took a larger handful of pages and eased them aside. "I thought this looked more like ancient Greek."

"I think it is, Harry," Hermione said softly, a touch of awe in her voice.

"Here's where I think it goes to Latin and that takes up about half the book. And here's where I can actually read it. I've seen some interesting things in here already. You can take a look if you'd like," he said stepping aside a bit.

One by one they came forward to get a closer look, but only a few actually touched it. No one attempted to turn a page. When it was Hermione's turn she laid her hand flat on the exposed page and then she turned to look at Harry with an odd expression on her face, her eyes questioning. Then she stepped aside to let someone else get closer. Harry thought he understood and he motioned for her to join him a short distance from the others. She said nothing. Harry smiled a bit and said quietly,

"Hermione, this is going to be a pretty big job, especially with the translating. Do you think that you would be willing to help me with this?"

Hermione's eyebrows rose up and were almost lost in the bit of bushy hair that hung over her forehead. Her eyes were wide and bright.

"Oh, Harry. Do you really mean that? This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Of course I'd want to help. However I can."

"Thanks, that's great. That will make things a lot easier. I haven't figured out how to approach it yet and I may need to figure out something about securing it better but I think we have some time," he said with slight grin.

She reached out and took hold of his forearm and smiled.

"Um, Harry?" Mr. Weasley said quietly.

"Yes, dad?"

"What now?"

"That's a really good question," Harry said with a small laugh, a bit of his usual self breaking through his concerns. "I'm thinking I need to do something about better security for it. I know the house is supposed to be secure and all, but I'd feel better with something more specific. Maybe a strong room in the basement or something like that."

"Not a bad idea, really. Although if you stick it in the basement, your family is likely never to see you again," Arthur Weasley said with a smirk.

"Hmmm, we'll have to figure that out, won't we, Gin?" Harry said.

"Yes, indeed, Professor," Ginny said with a little smile.

Ginny had been doing her best to keep calm in the face of this latest revelation. Just as things were starting to settle into a nice domestic routine another earth shaking event took place and she was wondering just what kind of a man had she married and where was their life headed. She was thinking more along these lines when a comment from Charlie got her attention.

Charlie was the last to examine the book, intentionally it appeared, because he was giving it a thorough going over. He had looked over at Harry and said,

"You know, Harry, it looks like the way this was bound you could actually take it apart. If that's the case you'd be able to take out a section for study and store it up here while the rest was locked up safe down in the basement. You could probably find some spells that would keep out moisture and such and preserve it that way as well."

"It's an idea. We'll have to look into it. Anybody want to go down to the basement with me and look around?" Harry asked.

"Why don't you boys go along," Mrs. Weasley said. "I think I could do with a cup of tea. How about you ladies?"

There were nods all around and as Harry led the menfolk out of the library to explore the basement, Mrs. Weasley led her daughters back to the living room. Ginny asked Kreacher for tea to be brought in. They took seats around the fireplace and sat looking at one another for a few moments.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley began, "this has been a rather remarkable day, hasn't it?"

"Oui, Muum," Fleur replied, "but at least theese time we do not 'ave to watch 'arry make a long and painful recovery."

"A blessing to be sure," Molly said. "How are you doing, Ginny? Were you aware of all this?"

"No, Mum," Ginny began, "I knew about the book itself but not whose it was or all the other business. Abagail had a hint of something odd but she said she only felt it for an instant."

"That's right," Abagail offered. "It was very odd, especially afterwards because the more I thought back on it the more it seemed like I was remembering it being a longer event. And I also picked up on a very strong presence with him. I would have to assume that was the 'Merlin' person."

"So what now?" Eleanor asked.

"I guess we do what we have been doing," Molly replied. "Be there when he needs us, offer what help we can, and keep a watchful eye. You all know what he's afraid of. That somehow these things about him will push us away, make us afraid of him or whatever. We might think that's just silly of him but remember where he's come from. The people that were supposed to be his family found his being 'different' to be utterly repulsive and he suffered for it."

"And his time at school wasn't much better," Hermione said quietly. "It started with the 'famous Harry Potter' business and then that Heir of Slytherin nonsense. Not to mention the attempts by the Ministry and the Prophet to discredit him."

"Exactly. So while we may think it ridiculous that his extraordinary abilities would cause us to shun him, he has plenty of experience to convince him of the real possibility of that happening. Just keep that in mind."

They all nodded. As if on cue Kreacher and Nibs brought in the tea and snacks and the conversation lightened a bit. Perhaps half an hour later the 'boys' rejoined them. Harry's mood seemed to be lightening as well.

"There looks like there are a few spots that might work out well. There's really a lot of space down there, did you know that?" he directed the question to Ginny.

"Of course we did, Harry. We designed the place after all," she said with a hand on Abagail's shoulder.

Harry smiled in return. He sat down next to his wife and took hold of her hand.

"As always, thanks for your help, and your patience," Harry said to them all. "It must get pretty tedious after a while."

"Not at all, Harry dear. We were just saying how nice it is that this time we aren't going to have to watch you go through a recovery in hospital," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile.

Harry laughed. They discussed some more ideas about how to deal with the book. It was decided that whatever construction needed would be handled within the family. There was no need to make such a project known to the general public. When Harry's offer to have Hermione help was discussed Ron sat back and rolled his eyes and looked over at this sister.

"So I guess we'll never see either one of them again, will we, sis?"

"Not very likely I'm afraid," Ginny replied in a mournful tone.

"Hey," Harry began. "It's not like we'll be at it around the clock. We'll work something out to keep things reasonable, right Hermione."

"Of course, Harry. It's not like either one of us is likely to get obsessive about something like this, is it?" she said in all seriousness.

Everyone laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

Professor Potter, Chap 6

Harry stood atop a towering crag of rock that jutted out from a bleak cliff face which towered over pounding surf. The erratic wind blew his robes tight against his legs yet left his wizard's hat untouched. He raised both hands above his head, his ironwood wand held tightly in his right. Green eyes blazed from behind large round glasses. With mumbled words the white foam of the breakers far below rose higher and higher. With a flick of his wand, the clouds thickened and swirled. Lightening began to flare in jagged bolts across the undersides of the clouds. He thrust the wand down in front of him and a huge jet of white hot plasma leaped out turning the blackest night to day. When the flame winked out he pointed the wand at the ground at his feet and the lightening began to hammer at the bare rock. With one last sweep of his arm he pointed the wand at the sky and shouted a phrase in an unrecognizable language and a massive bolt of lightening grounded itself to the tip of the wand. The crack of thunder it produced sounded as if the rock itself was exploding.

Harry bolted upright in his bed. His breathing was shallow and rapid. His face was covered in sweat and his unruly hair was plastered to his head. Although he had fairly good night vision, without his glasses he could only make out blurred shapes in the room. It was only a matter of seconds before Ginny was likewise sitting upright next to him.

"Harry, for goodness sake, what happened?" she asked, as she reached to her nightstand to grab her wand. "Lumos."

In the ball of light that rested on the tip of her wand she could see Harry sitting there, dripping with sweat. She reached out to touch his arm and pulled her hand back.

"Harry, your pyjamas are soaking wet. Go clean yourself up and change into some dry clothes."

She placed her hand on the sheets behind Harry and they were merely damp.

"I'll call for Dinkle to change the sheets, you can't sleep on these tonight," she said.

Harry looked over at her, squinting without his glasses, his eyes looking a little glassy.

"Ok, love," he said, his breathing starting to slow.

He threw off the quilt and fumbled for his glasses on his nightstand. He shuffled into the bathroom and came to stand in front of his side of the double basin vanity, looking at the face that regarded him from the mirror. It was not the face from his dream. That face was at least twice as old, perhaps more.

He peeled off the wet sleep clothes and decided a quick shower would be faster than trying to deal with just a wash cloth and the sink. By the time he walked back into the now fully lit bedroom, Dinkle and Ginny were just finishing making up the bed. Dinkle looked at Harry and asked,

"Master Harry is well?"

"I'm fine, Dinkle. Thank you for taking care of this," Harry replied.

Dinkle gave a small bow and then left the room, his arms full of the damp sheets. Ginny left the quilt folded near the end of the bed and sat on her side, her back against the pillows pushed up against the head board. She looked at Harry and patted the bed next to her. Harry climbed up and sat next to her. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him over so he was resting against her.

"Alright, Harry. Tell me all about it."

Harry took a deep breath and began to describe his dream to Ginny. She didn't say a word until he stopped and leaned back a little more into her. She felt his still damp hair against her cheek.

"It sounds like you're still worried about what Merlin said to you. Afraid perhaps," she said.

"Can you blame me, Gin? You know I've always thought that what I managed with Voldemort had a lot of luck involved," he said, feeling Ginny tighten her grip on him. "But then there was that business with you falling off the broom, killing the first hybrid, going dragon and now this. I can't pass it all off on luck, can I?"

"No sweetheart, you can't," she said quietly.

"And that means I have to accept the fact that I'm becoming something out of the ordinary, at least where wizards are concerned," he said with a touch of chagrin in his voice.

She pulled her head back to try and look at him a bit as she said,

"Harry, the word is extraordinary and you've been that since the day you were born. You make it sound like a curse."

"I wouldn't go that far, Gin, but how far is this going to go? How much is too much?"

"How can it be too much, Harry, if it gives you the ability to do so many good things?" she replied.

"You know how I feel about that."

"Yes, I seem to remember discussing it once in a car on the way back to Fleur's aunt and uncle's house in the south of France. And it's just as silly a notion now as it was then and considering that I have my arms wrapped around you and could very easily slide them up around your neck and strangle you I suggest you don't go there," she said and then kissed the back of his neck to take some of the sting from her words.

"You know, Harry," she continued, " I think that when you were having that 'dust up' with Fleur that time in the garden at Beauxbaton, she wasn't entirely wrong about what she was thinking about you."

Harry pulled forward and looked around at Ginny and said,

"What do you mean by that?"

"Fleur thought you took all those cheap shots at yourself because you wanted to hear people say nice things about you. That wasn't it. And I know Dr. Parsons said you were afraid of being alone. But I really do think you need to hear these things about yourself so that you know you're staying on the right path. You can't find your signs in the night sky so you need to find them down here. So I'll map it out for you. You saved our community from the horrors of Voldemort, and saved my life in the process, thank you very much. Then you played a critical role in getting the Ministry to a place where it can be relevant again. You've helped forge links with other magical communities and now you're someplace where you can have a lasting positive impact on generations of witches and wizards to come. And this doesn't include the financial help you've provided to friends and strangers. Now, you have in your possession knowledge that may have unimaginable impact on our world. Why should this latest episode have any different results than any of the last?"

"You're assuming that I'll always be the same person I am now, or was before. You know what they say about power," he replied quietly.

"Yes," Ginny replied with a sigh, "it corrupts. Actually, Harry, I don't ever really see you going that way but Mum said something interesting about you this afternoon, well, yesterday afternoon now I guess. She said that while we might think your fears are groundless, your experiences have given you plenty of reason to think otherwise. So I'll accept the idea that you are genuinely concerned about where your headed, but I will also tell you that there are so many people who care for you and we'd never let that happen to you. Haven't I told you all this already?"

"Yes, I seem to remember a stick being involved somewhere," he said, his voice heavy with sleep.

"That's right," she said with a chuckle. "Now, you need your sleep so I'll just hold on to you for awhile. We can talk some more in the morning if you need to."

"Alright, love," Harry said as he snuggled in a bit closer, his voice fading. "I never thought such a great life would require so much work and worry."

Ginny just shook her head and with a wave of her wand turned off all the lights. She worked herself a little deeper into the pillows and tightened her grip on her husband, his even breathing indicating he was already asleep. She was a while longer in finding the peace of sleep.

When she awoke the next morning she was alone. From the little amount of light coming through the windows it was clear it was still fairly early. She had hoped Harry would have a lie in this morning but obviously that hadn't happened so she climbed out of bed and slipped on her robe and slippers. She checked on James in the nursery and then went looking for Harry. She found him at the small table in the kitchen, with a cup of tea and a note book in front of him. Nibs and Kreacher were busy preparing breakfast.

"Good morning, sweetheart. I thought you'd be sleeping in," she said as she came up to Harry's side.

"It didn't turn out that way," Harry said as he reached out and gave Ginny a one armed hug. "I had another dream last night, or maybe a visit would be more to the point."

"A visit? From whom?"

"My mum," Harry replied.

"Well, I imagine you found that to be comforting," Ginny said as she took a seat at the table and poured herself a cuppa.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you," Harry said with a funny look on his face. "I did tell you about the things I saw in Snape's mind when we were doing the Occlumency lessons, didn't I?"

"I think so, Harry."

"Do you recall me talking about how my mum reacted to my dad's bullying of Snape?"

"Um, I seem to remember you saying something about her being hard on your dad and his friends," Ginny said.

"Well, I got a pretty good dose of that side of Lily Potter last night. She told me in no uncertain terms that I was being a bit of a twit. That I was given the opportunity of a lifetime, several lifetimes, in fact, and that I should stop getting all worked up and just get on with it."

Ginny couldn't help but smile and she tried valiantly to suppress a giggle. She reached out and took hold of Harry's hand and said,

"Was that all of it?"

"I'm giving you the condensed version. I think she must have taken lessons from Professor McGonagall. I was told I was a big boy now, that it was time I started accepting my responsibilities as an adult and that there were a lot of people on both sides who were counting on me."

"Both sides?"

"This side and hers."

"Oh. That's a bit much, don't you think?" Ginny said, starting to feel some sympathy for Harry.

"Maybe, but in a way, she's right. I've spent how long collecting books on magic and I have the most important and valuable one ever written dropped in my lap. As for the power, if I don't use it, it doesn't become an issue. So, having woken up with my tail between my legs, so to speak, I came down here and I started figuring out how to approach this thing. She did give me one bit of advice that I think was suggested by Dumbledore. She said I had the greatest collection of minds of the magical world at my disposal, maybe I should think of making use of them."

"She's has a point, but do you think it might become a problem with the secrecy and security part of it," she asked thoughtfully.

"Considering what we've been through, I'd think not. Not to mention, wizards and witches in general have to be pretty good with the secrets. But I'll take it up with Dumbledore first."

Ginny got up and stepped over to Harry and hugged him around the shoulders. Then she went over to see what Kreacher and Nibs were preparing for them. Silently she resolved to have Abagail pass on her thanks to Lily Potter for getting her son straightened out.

Harry and Ginny were finishing up their last cup of tea when Kreacher went to answer a knock on the rear door. They looked at each other conveying the unspoken 'I'm not expecting anyone are you?' Kreacher returned and said,

"Master Harry, Master Ted Lupin asks if he may enter."

"Teddy? Of course, get him in here," Harry said with a wide grin.

The door to the kitchen swung open and a short blur flew into the room.

"Harry! Ginny!"

"Ted, what brings you here?" Harry said as he swept the boy up in a hug. "We missed seeing you at Christmas."

"Yeah, I know. Some of the folks that Nan visited during the summer while I was here aren't doing so well, you know, their health and that. So she wanted me to come with her during the holiday to meet them. But thanks for the presents you sent. The broom's really cool."

"You're very welcome, young fella. So what's going on today? Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I asked if I could come and Nan said she could use the rest," he said with a laugh. "I did eat, but is there anything left?"

"Nibs, anything left for this young man?" Harry asked over his shoulder.

"Coming right away, Master Harry."

"Take my seat, sweetheart," Ginny said. "It's about time I took care of James."

Teddy climbed up into the chair with a grin that got a lot bigger as Nibs floated a full plate down in front of him. Harry could not help but smile as he watched the boy attack the plate.

"So what did you have in mind for today, Ted?"

"If you have some time, I thought we might play some wizards chess."

"I think we can manage that. I have something to show you, too. A new old book I came across," Harry said.

"Cool."

Having Ted visit for the day was just the medicine Harry required. After the boy devoured his second breakfast, but only one helping, Harry brought him into the library and showed him the massive tome, although not revealing its true nature. Ted paid polite attention and was genuinely curious about the strange writing in the first portions but his gaze kept straying to the chess set. For a boy of eight or so the lure of hotly contested individual combat was too strong. Harry wasn't blind to this and with a smile and a ruffling of the boy's hair, he shut the tome and led Ted over to the chess table. As they sat the enchantment brought the pieces to life and the black king looked up at Harry.

"What ho, my liege. We stand ready to do thy bidding."

"Thank you, your majesty," he replied with a nod.

The white king looked up at Ted and said,

"Ah, young squire Theodore, is it? We are ready to serve."

Ted had to suppress a giggle as he usually did when one or other of the kings addressed him. They simply couldn't come to terms with the idea that someone would name their child simply 'Ted' so they always addressed him as 'Theodore'.

Harry and Ted played three games, all to a draw, more or less, as Harry was still teaching the youngster the game, with the help of his pieces. The queen's knight was particularly vocal in his advice. Then they bundled up and took a walk around the grounds. The grass was winter brown and the pond had a thin layer of ice around the edges, attesting to the cold. They received a brief visit from Nibs who popped up right besides them to inform them that lunch was ready. He popped out of sight after Harry told him they would be right in.

Ted challenged Harry to a race back to the house but Harry only got about a dozen strides in when a twinge came from his left knee. He pulled up and walked the rest of the way to find Ted waiting for him.

"What's the matter, Harry? I thought your knee was all better."

"It more or less is, Ted. It's just with all the cold it gets kind of tight. I get little twinges when it's cold and rainy, too. But it's a lot better than it used to be. No worries," Harry assured him.

The combination of the cold and physical activity had both of them ravenous but the house elves had risen to the occasion. Ginny could only sit and watch in wonder as she held James and ate her own much more reasonable meal.

"One of these days your daddy is going to stop burning up food like a furnace and he's going to weigh as much as a dragon, James," she said to her son.

"Hey, that's not nice. If my need for food drops I won't eat as much," Harry said with scowl.

"I dunno, Harry. Habits like that are hard to break," she said with a little grin, glad to see that Harry's mood had improved enough that she could tease him.

After lunch Harry took Ted for a tour of the basement, showing him all the space. Ted asked when Harry planned on building his dungeon. Harry replied as soon as he or James gave him enough trouble to require locking them up. Ted looked up at him with his eyes wide until Harry burst out laughing. Ted just smiled and laughed a bit but considering his godfather's reputation he couldn't help look back over his shoulder into the darkness as they walked back up to the first floor.

Ted left around mid afternoon as his Nan wanted him home in time for dinner. There were hugs all around and his promise to come more often and bring his Nan with him. When it came time for dinner it was a quiet one at the kitchen table. Ginny looked over at Harry and smiled a bit.

"Feeling better, Harry?"

"Hmm, oh, yeah, I'm doing fine. It was fun to have Ted here and it was just at the right time. Some coincidence, huh?" Harry replied.

Ginny just smiled and shook her head.

The next morning Harry left for Hogwarts early, wanting to see if he could get to see Professor McGonagall before breakfast. He stood by the small side entrance to the Great Hall and when he saw the Headmistress approaching he stepped up to her.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall. Could I have a moment of your time, please?"

"A moment, Professor Potter," she said without any change in expression as she motioned Harry to step further away from the door.

"Headmistress, I've come across an artifact, a book really, that could have significant impact on our community. It will take a great deal of research and I would like your permission to approach other members of the faculty to help me," Harry said.

The Headmistress looked at Harry over the top of her glasses. It reminded him of his time as a student.

"I presume, by your behavior this past week, that you uncovered this artifact during the Christmas break?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And it has taken this long for you to come to me with this?" the Head asked.

"Well, ma'am, I had to work my way through some issues related to it."

"I suggest you provide me with a list of those you would wish to invite and we can gather this evening after dinner where you can present your proposition," the Headmistress said.

"Yes, ma'am, that would be perfect. And I apologize for not bringing this to your attention earlier but I had some difficulty making sense of some of it," Harry said a bit sheepishly.

"I see. Well, it would appear that it's time for another of our discussions. Perhaps after this evening's meeting."

"Yes, Professor."

With a nod, the Headmistress turned and made her way into the Great Hall with Harry following a short way behind. He found his way to his seat next to Bill. Hagrid's chair was empty. As he sat down his brother in law looked at him.

"How are you doing, Harry?"

"Alright, I guess, Bill. I think I know what I want to do with that book. There should be a meeting tonight with some of the faculty to see if they'd want to help figure it out. You'll be invited, can you make it?"

"Of course, Harry. Do you think I'd miss a chance to be involved with something like this?" Bill said.

"Great. But I think Professor McGonagall is upset with me. She hinted, well maybe hinted isn't the right word, but anyway, she suggested I waited too long to tell her about it."

"Well, you work for her now, Harry. You're not just on loan or a visiting lecturer anymore so she feels she needs to know what you're up to. Plus when you think of all the time and effort she has invested in you, it's understandable."

"Terrific. I barely have the family thing figured out and now this. I wonder if this is why some people wind up as hermits in caves someplace," Harry said with a frown.

Bill's eyebrows shot up and then he started to laugh.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Harry. Once you explain what you've found and offer the school a chance to part of it, I think all will be forgiven."

"Which reminds me, I need to make a list of the professors I think can help. Lend a hand?"

"Of course," Bill replied and the two began discussing various topics and the instructors who taught them.

Hagrid must have had an early morning because he never arrived for breakfast. Bill kept up a running dialogue as they worked their way through the meal. By the time the students were dismissed Harry had his list completed and he handed it to the Headmistress. She perused the list and then looked at Harry and nodded.

"We'll assemble in the Transfiguration class room directly after dinner."

"Yes, ma'am and thank you."

"Until then, Professor," was all the Headmistress replied in return and then she made her way off the dais.

Harry took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He made his way to his first class determined not to let the Head's attitude distract him to the detriment of his students. Last week had been bad enough while he struggled with the implications of the book. He willed all of these considerations into a quiet corner of his mind and spent the rest of the day giving his full attention to his students. His meals passed without any further conversation regarding the approaching meeting.

After dinner a small knot of professors made their way to the Transfiguration classroom with Harry coming along last. The teachers found spaces for themselves and Harry, at a gesture from Professor McGonagall took his spot at the front. He looked at the patiently waiting faces. In addition to the Headmistress and Bill, there was also Professors Flitwick, Slughorn and Sprout. Also were Professor Vector who taught Arithmancy as well as Professor Babbling who taught Ancient Runes. Bill and Harry thought the two might be helpful in deciphering the early pictogram writing. Harry took a settling breath and began.

"First let me thank you all for taking your free time to be here. What I'm about to describe to you may seem highly unlikely but there is some physical evidence that you'll be able to examine to help back up what I'm about to tell you."

The high pitched voice of Professor Flitwick chimed in.

"Harry, my boy, I think that if the past is any indication I think we, or at least I, am ready to believe just about anything you tell us. Please proceed."

Harry saw a few nods and so he launched into his explanation of what occurred in the caverns below the Mysteries department. When the subject of the spatial distortions was mentioned he got a few more nods. When he talked about being pulled through the rock face, several pairs of eyes widened. When he discussed the old man everyone's eyes, except for Bill, got wide. When he described the trip to that place between life and death several jaws dropped. However, when he talked about the tome everyone in the room leaned forward and their expressions became very intense.

"So, what I'm proposing is to establish a study team to investigate what the book contains. Some of it will be immediately apparent since it's in English, some of it a bit archaic but still recognizable. About half of it needs translation from Latin. I believe Hermione Granger can be of help there. She has some knowledge of it," Harry said.

"As do I, Harry," again this was Professor Flitwick. "It's useful to understand Latin when working with charms."

"When would we be able to see this volume, Harry?" asked Professor Slughorn.

"I thought maybe this Saturday would be convenient for you all," Harry responded.

"Professor Potter, I won't assume to speak for all," Professor Vector began, "but convenience be hanged. I'd be willing to leave for your home right now to have a look at this marvel."

Most of the others nodded in agreement. Before Harry could respond Professor McGonagall spoke up.

"While I appreciate your desire to see this book, I think it only fair to the Potter household not to descend on them en masse without warning," she said to the others and then looked at Harry. "Would tomorrow evening be possible, Professor Potter? I must admit to a certain eagerness to see this tome myself."

"Yes, ma'am, I think I can arrange that," Harry replied.

"Excellent. Than I suggest we assemble in the foyer tomorrow after dinner and we'll make our way to the Potter residence."

The assembled faculty nodded their agreement and then the Headmistress continued.

"Unless anyone has any questions of immediate urgency I suggest we bring this meeting to a close. Professor Potter, if you would remain please?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry replied.

Harry watched as the rest of the teachers left the room giving nods or brief spoken farewells. Bill offered a quick wink. Harry sat on his stool while the Headmistress regarded him from where she sat.

"A most amazing turn of events, Harry," she said evenly. "It would seem that you take ever deeper steps into a part of our realm that most witches and wizards never even suspect exists. I have to say I was rather put out that you hadn't come to talk to me about this. I had thought perhaps you had forgotten our agreement that you'd discuss these things with me before you did any experimenting, but quite frankly I don't think I would have been able to offer any cogent advice or guidance."

Then she fixed Harry with a steely look.

"But I would have preferred having the opportunity to tell you such at the start. This entire past week the castle was filled with an undercurrent concerning you and your obvious distraction. You are an integral part of this school, Professor, you have been for many years. What affects you affects the school, which means it is of concern to me. I trust you will remember that in the future."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said quietly.

The Headmistresses features softened a bit.

"Harry, it would appear that fate has mapped out a strange and sometimes difficult road for you to travel. But you needn't travel it alone. Ask for help when you think you need it, and perhaps when you don't think you do. Well I think that's enough for tonight. Let your wife know we're coming and we'll try not to disrupt things too much," the last coming with a brief smile.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry offered, silently resolving not to mention that he had sought help but it hadn't been from her.

After the Headmistress left Harry paid a brief visit to the Great Hall to see if Abagail might be there and she was, working with several fellow NEWT candidates on some homework. He used her supplies to write a note to Ginny about the following evening and then sent her off to the owlry to send it to the Meadows. While she was gone the other students took the opportunity to ask Harry for some advice on how to handle several topics they were working on. He appreciated the chance to focus on something more routine than the collected life works of a singularly legendary wizard.

He was still working with the students, now including the returned Abagail when Bill strolled up the aisle. He held a piece of parchment and he had a small smile on his scarred face as he approached the group.

"Professor, can you spare a moment?" Bill asked.

"Of course, Professor," he replied with a little smirk.

The brothers in law moved down the table a bit and Bill should Harry the parchment.

"This is a message from the folks at QUABBLE. They've worked up a plan for your idea about turning that old farm in Derbyshire into a Quidditch park. They've put some real work into it. The equipment makers have pledged some funding for construction and even the folks at Games and Sports at the Ministry have offered some support. About all they need is your permission to get started."

"Wow. That's brilliant. I hadn't thought they'd take it so seriously," Harry said, genuinely surprised.

"I think they like the idea of there being a place where the regular folks can enjoy playing the game, not to mention the potential for increased sales of brooms and gear. Plus if more people are playing they might attend more regular League matches. Everyone wins," Bill said.

"That's great, but I think we should still get up there first and take that look around I thought we were going to do last summer. I hate it when I think to do something and it takes forever to get around to it," Harry said, a trace of annoyance in his voice.

"Come on, Harry. Can you really help it? You have a lot on your mind these days. You can't expect to remember all the details," Bill offered.

"Maybe, but I still think I could be better organized. Ah, well. I think Hermione can offer some advice there. How about if we grab Charlie this Saturday and take a run up there and see what's what?"

"Sounds like a plan, Harry."

With a smile and clap on the shoulder Bill left the Hall and Harry went back to answer any last questions from those in the study group. Shortly after he went to his new room and despite all that was on his mind he dropped off to sleep rather quickly and had a dreamless night. The following morning he made his way to the dais for breakfast and received a few nods from the teachers but a few speculative looks as well. The Headmistress was already in her chair and as he was about to walk past she waved him closer.

"With all the excitement, Professor, I forgot to mention that I received a message from Madame Maxime regarding your visit. Do you still believe you can make time for it?"

"I'll have to, Professor. I gave someone special my word. If we can work out a plan tonight for our project I'd like to try for next week. If I wait too much longer we'll be getting too close to exams. If a message could be sent saying I'll arrive Tuesday night of next week and stay through dinner Thursday, I think that would work," Harry said.

"I'll send a message off right after breakfast," the Head responded.

Harry nodded and then went to sit down. Bill looked at him and Harry told him what was going on. Bill shook his head and said,

"More demands on your time, Harry."

"True, but at least this will be fun," Harry said with a wry grin.


	7. Chapter 7

Professor Potter, Chap 7

"It's the most extraordinary thing I've ever seen," Professor Vector said in a hushed voice.

He, along with the rest of the Hogwarts faculty that Harry had invited to help him research Merlin's tome, were standing in a semi-circle in front of the bookshelf where the large volume rested. In addition, Bill and Charlie Weasley were there, as well as Hermione. They were standing back, allowing the academics to get their first look.

"You can feel the age and power of it," offered Professor Flitwick who was standing on a lower rung of the ladder that had been brought around for just that purpose.

"Does anyone have any idea of how we should approach this?" Professor Babbling asked. "It seems to me that we have several tasks here. One is the relatively straight forward translation of the Latin portion. The ancient Greek, if that is what it is, shouldn't be too much more difficult. Those first portions look to be a much tougher nut to crack. Can the tome be disassembled in some fashion?"

"We think so, Professor," Harry said. "We need to look at that a bit more closely though. I know I may be being a bit unreasonable by saying this but I'm not ready to let the book leave the house, in part or whole. At least here I know it's protected."

"Harry, I think it's safe to say the Hogwarts is not a security risk, but I understand your position," Professor McGonagall said. "But I don't think anyone believes your concerns to be unreasonable. The fact that you are offering us the opportunity to share in this adventure with you is quite selfless. I daresay more than a few would be inclined to horde the knowledge to themselves."

"Thank you, Headmistress. Well, now that you've seen it, why don't we go into the living room? That way we can be more comfortable while we discuss the path forward."

"Excellent suggestion, Harry. I'm well past the age where I wouldn't prefer sitting to standing," the Head replied with a smile.

With last looks at the tome the teachers followed Harry out of the library with the Weasley brothers and Hermione bringing up the rear. They all filed into the living room and took seats near the fireplace. Harry called for tea to be brought in and while they waited tiny Professor Flitwick said,

"I must say, Harry, your home is quite impressive. I can fully understand your preference to spending most of your evenings here as opposed to the castle."

"Thank you, Professor. Ginny and Abagail did an amazing job of designing it and the workmanship is flawless, or at least as much as I can tell. It's a wonderful place to come home to," he replied.

Kreacher and Nibs brought in two large trays bearing teapots, cups and saucers, and several dishes of biscuits. Once everyone helped themselves they settled in to the task at hand. The first part went fairly easily. As Harry surmised, Professors Vector and Babbling would take the first crack at trying to puzzle out anything that would permit translation of the pictogram writing in the beginning of the book. Harry recalled what Merlin had said about a key being in there somewhere and made mention of it. Professor Flitwick and Hermione would start the Latin translation. Professors Slughorn and Sprout, Harry and Bill would start work on the English section and begin to catalog what they found in terms of spells, potions, and other general magical topics. Due to his commitment at the Ministry, Charlie would be the first to go over the tome and try and figure out how to unbind the various sections. He had indicated he had some ideas based on his initial examination.

"A thought had occurred to me," Harry said. "I think we can set work space up in the basement, tables, chairs, lighting and so forth. As work progresses and material is copied or translated you can take them back to Hogwarts to work on in more comfortable surroundings."

"I don't know that I'd find working here so onerous, Harry," Professor Flitwick said.

"You haven't seen the basement," Harry said with a smile and then looked to the others. "I take it then that you're all interested in working on this project?"

There was a chorus of affirmatives and looks that suggested he must have been joking to suggest any other option was even a possibility. They were magical scholars after all and what awaited them was likely unparalleled in the school's history, or any other school of magic for that matter.

"Thank you," was all Harry said in response.

"I think we should be thanking you, Harry, but you are most welcome," the Headmistress said. "Now that we have that settled, what would you say to a tour of the rest of this marvelous house, including the basement?"

"I would say of course, it would be my pleasure."

As promised the last stop on the tour was the basement. Several 'lumos' spells provided plenty of light and it was generally agreed it wouldn't take much work to create plenty of workspace to accommodate the team and its object of study. It was also agreed that any really significant work wouldn't occur until the summer break but that weekend visits were likely until then. Harry made sure that the three house elves were introduced to the teachers so they would be properly treated when they arrived. Once all was arranged Harry escorted his visitors to the front portico and watched as they all Disapparated back to Hogwarts. The Headmistress was the last to leave. Before she did, she looked at Harry with a small smile.

"Well, done, Professor. You've set us a task that could be considered the crowning achievement of a scholarly lifetime."

"I'm just following some very good advice, ma'am. Besides, I doubt I would have been able to wade through it all by myself," Harry said with his lopsided grin.

The Headmistress just smiled back and then with a nod, disappeared. As Harry walked back into the house he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Sharing the work would ease the burden of time and effort, surely, but perhaps most importantly he felt not being the only one to know the tomes content would ease the burden of responsibility and temptation that such singular knowledge possessed.

Harry's next group event turned out to be much more fun. He, Bill and Charlie made the trip to Derbyshire to have a look around the old farm that had come to him through Sirius' legacy. It was still too cold to fly the whole way so they decided to Disapparate carrying their brooms so they could do a low level flyover once they got there. Harry asked Bill if he was familiar enough with the property to get there on his own.

"Sure, Harry. Charlie had me up there a few times while he was looking at the portal. He was worried about charms or curses."

With that assurance they left early on the Saturday morning after the research team meeting at the Meadows. The left from the front portico and arrived in front of the collapsed barn/warehouse. The air was chill but the sky was clear. Harry stood looking at the remains of the building that held several unpleasant memories for him.

"That'll have to go," he said in a flat voice.

"I don't know, Harry. The wooden structure certainly needs to be torn down, but I wouldn't be too hasty about the foundation," Bill offered. "If we get a lot of interest it might be worthwhile to put a new building on it to provide changing rooms, maybe some tables for eating, perhaps even some concessionaires to provide food and beverages."

Harry studied the structure again, trying to see through his bad memories to the merit of what his brother-in-law was saying. He nodded once and said,

"You might have something there, Bill. We can think about it."

They mounted their brooms and rose into the clear sky and began to roam over the property. Bill assured them that if they stayed within a twenty foot circle with him in the center his invisibility charm would shield them from any muggles who might stray by. From his mobile perch Harry saw the debris from the bunker-like structure strewn about what was left of the low building. That was definitely going to be removed right down to the smallest bit.

Widening the scope of their flight they passed by the remains of the stone house that was the sight of the smugglers ambush. The hole in the ground that was the foundation had a small pool of rain water in it and was surrounded by piles of stone that had been left after the search for survivors and remains had been completed. These were the only familiar places for Harry. Charlie waved him closer so he could talk without shouting.

"A couple of times that I was up hear looking at the portal I took the time to fly around the place. The exact borders of the property are a bit vague but aside from the structures you know about everything else is pretty much overgrown fields and a few dirt roads. I don't think the land has been worked in a very long time. I think there is enough land to put up three, possibility four full size pitches and still have enough buffer to make it easy to conceal it from the muggles."

Harry nodded. From what he saw there must have been hundreds of acres of land. The barn and house seemed to have been located in the southwest quadrant. He'd get a hold of Gringotts and see if they could get an accurate map, maybe from the county or district council. He certainly had no issue with the plan for the property. He just wanted to make sure it wouldn't create problems down the road.

"Well, I've seen enough," Harry said to his brothers. "What say we head for home and some tea? It's a bit chilly up here."

He got nods from both so they landed close by and within moments they were back on the portico and Kreacher was there to let them in. They left their brooms in the cupboard under the stairs and their cloaks were carried off by Dinkle. When they entered the kitchen they found tea, biscuits and cheese waiting for them.

"We thought that Master Harry and the brothers might need refreshment," Kreacher offered.

"Thanks, Kreacher, that was very thoughtful of you," Harry replied.

The three sat down at the small table and helped themselves. They were barely begun when Ginny walked in with James tucked into the crock of her arm. The boy was not far from his first birthday and he was showing firmer signs of both parents. His hair was black and marginally unruly, his eyes brown like his mothers. His facial features bore more the look of Harry but with a bit of Weasley here and there. His face lit up at the sight of his father and he held his arms out to be held by him.

"Hello, there, James," Harry said, reaching out to take him from Ginny.

Harry had noticed that as James grew Ginny was less and less reluctant to hand him over, for a while at least. He also noticed that whenever he and Ginny exchanged hugs her arms were noticeably stronger.

"So, what did you boys find out?" she asked sitting down and pouring some tea for herself.

"There's plenty of room. No other buildings than those we already know about. What's left of the house and bunker will have to be removed, as well as the wooden structure of the barn. Bill had an interesting idea about using the barn's foundation for putting up some sort of building to be like a field house or some such. We'll give it some thought," Harry said.

"Sounds brilliant, Harry," Ginny replied.

They spent the rest of the morning discussing possibilities. The brothers begged off staying for lunch and took their leave of Harry and Ginny from the portico and popped out of sight. They retired to the library, Ginny retaining custody of James, to go about their own projects. Harry began leafing through the first few pages of the tome of Merlin, trying to discern any patterns in the pictograms. After a short while he thought to himself that despite his many magical talents, he wouldn't have fared very well in Magical Runes, and he skipped ahead to the Old English section.

Meanwhile, Ginny was sitting at the desk, James sitting on the floor by her feet playing with an assortment of toys that had accumulated there over the past several weeks. She was reading through some notes that Charlie had sent over earlier in the week that he thought could serve as the beginnings of his own book. They had been in the library for about an hour when Kreacher knocked on the doorframe and announced a message had arrived by owl for Master Harry.

"It's from Hogwarts," Harry said as he unfolded the parchment. "Everything has been set for my visit to Beauxbaton. They are expecting me at around seven o'clock local time on Tuesday evening."

"Are you going by train again, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"No, I thought I'd fly. I don't have a bad knee to coddle like I did the last time."

"Isn't it a little cold still for that long a flight on a broom?" she asked, a bit surprised.

"Who said anything about a broom?" Harry said with a smile.

"Harry! Aren't you afraid you'll been seen? And what about when you get there?"

"I checked. Tuesday is a moonless night and I'm sure there will be some area I can drop down into and then Disapparate to the front door. When Professor McGonagall sent my message back accepting Madame Maxime's invitation I included the fact that I'd get myself there so I don't think anyone will be scanning the skies looking for me."

"And it gives you a chance for an extended stretch of the wings, yes?" Ginny said with a smirk.

Harry just smiled that half smile of his in return. His plan was to leave Hogwarts after classes Tuesday afternoon and by the time he needed to overfly any area with possible eye witnesses the sun would have already set. He would stay low, use whatever cloud cover that might be available and set down somewhere near Beauxbaton. It was s a moderately risky trip but just like with UFOs he figured most people would laugh at any reported sighting.

While he was considering this plan one thing that he had to consider was baggage. Even a two day trip would require a couple of changes of clothes and other essentials. He wondered if a bag or back pack would make the transfer the way clothes did when an animagus switched forms. He wondered if Merlin's tome would contain any clues as to how that whole process worked. He decided the best way to find out was to try it so on the Sunday before the trip he took a small rucksack, stuffed some random clothes and other items into it and slung it over his shoulders.

He strolled out into the meadow and made the change. Once he settled onto his forelegs he swung his head around on his long neck and saw that there was no trace of a bag or anything else along his back. He then changed back and he could feel the weight of the pack. Satisfied, he walked back into the house and conferred with Ginny about what he should bring with him. She gave him a look and said,

"I'll take care of it for you, Harry. It will be ready for you tomorrow morning when you leave. I assume you'll wear your best robe so you'll be properly dressed when you show up at the front door."

"Oh, well, yeah, I guess that would make sense. I wouldn't want to have to change in the dark in some field somewhere," he replied.

His wife just shook her head. So it was on Tuesday afternoon, Harry walked out of the castle, having taken his leave of Professor McGonagall and made his way to the small house. He Disapparated to the small clearing up beyond Hogsmeade and made the change to the dragon. With little effort he launched himself into the fading twilight and headed south. He had looked at a map over the weekend and decided he would spend as much time as possible over water, lessening the likelihood of being spotted.

He would fly over the Irish Sea, passing between the east coast of Ireland and the Isle of Man, then once past the Scilly Islands he would turn to the southeast and cut over the Bay of Biscay. He was concerned about cutting directly across so much of France so he decided to pass over the mountainous region that was the border between France and Spain. Once over the Mediterranean Sea he would fly north east and then to the east of Marseilles he'd find a place to set down and Disapparate to the school.

He wasn't entirely sure how he would know where he was but he recalled it didn't take much effort to find his way home the time he destroyed the smugglers warehouses around Europe but then again he had the portal 'trails' to help there. If worse came to worse he'd drop in somewhere and read the road signs. All in all he was looking forward to a bit of adventure.

To put it simply, he was having the time of his life as he beat steadily southward. Once over open water Harry made use of a trick he discovered during his many practice flights over the Scottish Highlands. In attempting to more fully understand the capabilities of his dragon form he was curious as to just how fast he could go. He knew from his time flying a broom that he could pick up substantial speed by urging, for lack of a better word, the broom to move faster.

On the occasion that he first tried this technique he found that if he thought about pushing against the air behind him he could significantly increase his speed. During subsequent experiments he found that if he streamlined himself as much as possible and kept his wings still and angled back instead of straight out, like he had seen in photos of muggle jet fighters, his speed became almost frighteningly fast. On one overcast day he allowed himself a relatively few moments of high speed flying and before he realized he was nearly half way to Devon.

So now, while over the northern reaches of the Irish Sea he pulled his legs up tight to his body and held his head and tail straight out. He began 'pushing' at the dense cold air behind him and soon he was jetting south a few thousand feet above the water. Unknown to him he was being watched. At a British RAF installation near the west coast two radar operators were peering into the screen of their equipment, a bit puzzled.

"Wot do you make of it, sir?" asked the non com at the console.

"Never seen the like of it. The signature is faint and not like anything I know. But it's only doing about three hundred and fifty knots," the Lieutenant said. "Probably some new American craft. The yanks never tell us what they're about until it hits the papers. Keep an eye on it and if it makes a turn towards land, give a shout."

"Yes, sir," the operator replied but the 'bogey' flew straight as an arrow until it passed the southern tip of the country and then veered to the southeast. "Let the French worry about it," he thought as it disappeared off his screen.

The thrill of the speed was almost intoxicating to Harry and he had to concentrate to maintain his bearings. In addition, he needed to keep his nostrils constricted to prevent the high speed wind from blowing through him. But the longer he did it, the easier it got. He wondered if this was something the Greater Dragons, as Merlin had called them, were originally capable of and he was just relearning it. It wasn't long before the coast of Southwestern France was visible with the Pyrenees looming on the horizon. With some wing adjustments he gained altitude and quickly he was passing over the mountainous terrain.

He was almost sorry, a while later, when the southern coast of France appeared after his short journey over the Mediterranean. He veered to the east of the heavy concentration of lights that were Marseille and thanks to his wizards vision he was soon able to make out the outline of the magnificent palace that was Beauxbaton. Having slowed down a great deal he circled overhead and finally spotted a large clearing perhaps two miles north of the palace, settling quickly and changing back to his human form.

After making sure he was properly attired and his back pack was still in place he envisioned the front steps to the palace and Disapparated. When he Apparated he found the castle aglow with light from every window. Without the moon to set the exterior marble alight, the golden glow from each ornate window was that much more breathtaking. He took a deep breath to clear his head and swung the pack off his back. He began to climb up the steps when he saw a porter waiting at the top, his hand already on the doorpull.

"Bonsoir, Professeur Potter. Entre'." the man said.

"Bonsoir. Merci," Harry replied as the door was pulled open and Harry waved inside.

As Harry walked into the entry hall he heard a familiar voice.

"'arry! Bonsoir, mon frère. Eet ees so wonderful to see you."

Gabrielle Delacour hurried from where she had been standing, awaiting Harry's arrival, her arms already spread wide. Harry had time to drop his pack, just, so that he could share the embrace of his 'little sister'. Gabrielle's embrace was every bit as strong as her older sister and just as enthusiastic. Harry received kisses on each cheek, which he returned and then the girl, or more correctly young woman, stepped back to hold him at arm's length.

"You look well, 'arry. The life of a professeur agrees weeth you, yes?" she said, her voice a touch deeper than Fleur's Harry noticed.

"I'm feeling very well, thanks. And you're right. It's still very exciting but not nearly so tough on the body," Harry replied with a laugh. "You're looking stunning, as usual."

Gabrielle's eyes went wide and just a touch of a giggle emerged. Apparently there was still a touch of 'Gabi' left. Then she got control of herself and gave Harry a 'look' and hooked his arm with hers. As she began to lead him towards the Dining Chamber she said,

"My seester ees right. You are a bad boy, 'arry. You look at us weeth those big innocent green eyes and then say such a theeng," she said, giving him a sidelong glance. "Not that we mind, of course," she added with a laugh.

Harry looked over his shoulder and saw that the porter had retrieved his bag and Gabrielle said,

"Your bag weell be put in your room, 'arry. I 'ave orders to breeng you directly to deenner."

"That's terrific. I've worked up quite an appetite," Harry replied, the mention of dinner reminding him he was ravenously hungry.

Apparently, high speed flight made great demands on his energy stores. Gabrielle laughed and gave his arm a squeeze and walked with him into the large dining room. The assembled students and faculty rose from their places and applauded loudly. Harry smiled and waved with his free hand while Gabrielle steered him up to the faculty table where he exchanged handshakes with everyone there. Had he been able to look out at the students he would have noticed a few scowls from older student wizards who apparently weren't happy with the attention Harry was getting from the most beautiful witch in the school. Not that any of them would mention it openly.

Madame Maxime indicated everyone should take their seats but before taking hers she faced the assembled students and began to speak in French. Gabrielle, as had her sister before, leaned in and translated for Harry. The Headmistress was happy to once more welcome Harry to the school and looked forward to his sharing his knowledge and expertise, especially with those students who weren't present for his first visit. She also hoped that future visits would be of a more regular nature. Harry grinned at this. It was nice to be wanted. There was additional applause as the Headmistress concluded her welcoming remarks and food began to appear.

Harry did his best to temper the pace at which he consumed everything that appeared in front of him but it was still readily apparent that his appetite was anything but typical. Gabrielle had been exposed to it on several occasions but she was still amazed at what he could eat. The Headmistress had been forewarned by Professor McGonagall but she was still unprepared by the sheer quantity of food he was consuming. As Harry neared the end of what must have been three helpings Madame Maxime looked down and said,

"I must say, 'arry, that the kitchen staff will be most gratified that you found their efforts to be satisfactory."

"Um, oh, yes ma'am. It was all very good, thank you. It seems somewhere along the way my metabolism was kicked into high gear and hasn't slowed down yet," he replied.

The Headmistress smiled, not sure what gears had to do with eating, but she thought she understood. Her message traffic with Professor McGonagall had alluded to several distinct but undefined 'peculiarities' where the young wizard was concerned. This she could understand, being a half giantess herself, and witches and wizards were in the business of peculiar, after all. She leaned down and said,

"Well, we are pleased you 'ave enjoyed it so much. I would like to suggest that you allow Mademoiselle Delacour to escort you to your room to refresh yourself and then I would invite you to meet in the faculty lounge with myself and a few others and discuss your time here with us."

"That would be great, Madame," Harry replied.

The Headmistress stood and dismissed the students and while they were all filing out a few of the professors moved forward to talk a bit more with Harry. Professor LeMond was first among them.

"Bonsoir, Professeur Potter," the French DADA instructor began. "We welcome you once more."

Professor LeMond then fell back to French and Gabrielle translated some briefs words about working with younger students and then assisting with a practical exercise with the seniors. Madame Maxime then intervened and indicated there would be time enough for details later in the lounge. Gabrielle hooked Harry's arm again and walked with him away from the table and across the room to the door and out into the corridor. Harry was just beginning to ask Gabrielle if there was to be a meeting with the fan club when a movement caught his eye. Walking towards them was a younger student, perhaps a fourth year, his head down. He seemed lost in thought and was on a collision course with the pair but Gabrielle had already noticed and said,

"Excusez-moi?"

The young wizard looked up right into Harry's face. His eyes went wide and the blood drained from his face. He started to back pedal away from them and turned to run. He got maybe two steps and ran directly into an ornate sculpture. He bounced off and hit the floor hard. Harry and Gabrielle moved quickly to his side.

"He's unconscious," Harry said. "You'd better go get the Healer."

"Oui," was all she said and then hurried off down the corridor.

Harry was crouched down by the boy's side when he heard the rest of the faculty coming out of the doorway behind him. He looked up into their astonished faces.

"'arry, q'uest-ce c'est ? What 'as 'appened?" the Headmistress asked.

"We almost bumped into each other. He wasn't really watching where he was going. When he looked up and saw me it was like he saw a monster or something. He turned and tried to run and hit that statue. Gabrielle went to get the Healer."

As if on cue, the portly Madame Chevalier came hurrying up with Gabrielle just behind. She spared Harry a brief glance and a bit of a smile and then turned her attention to the boy on the floor. She checked his eyes and the small but growing bruise on this forehead. Harry heard a cluck of her tongue and then she pulled out her wand, ran it over the boys head and neck and nodded to herself. Then she stood up and waved the wand once more and levitated the boy of the floor and began to move back down the corridor. Madame Maxime asked something in French and received a short, not quite curt, response. Harry, clearly distressed looked at the towering Headmistress.

"She sez 'e will be fine, just a bump on the 'ead," Madame Maxime replied. "Per'aps you and I should 'ave a talk, 'arry. Would you come to my office with me? We can meet the others a little later."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said.

He looked at Gabrielle and said,

"Thanks for your help, Gabrielle. I'll be fine and I'll see you later, alright."

His 'little sister' was clearly upset but she nodded, giving him a brief smile. Harry then walked alongside the Headmistress to her office which was not too far away. She opened the very tall door and gave Harry a wave to indicate he should go in first. As expected the room had a mix of massive furniture along with a few normal sized chairs and a couch for visitors. She gestured to a chair for Harry and she took her place in a much larger one nearby.

"I had meant to discuss this with you at a later time, 'arry. But it appears we must deal with it now. The boy that you encountered is a transfer from Durmstrang. We 'ave always 'ad a few students who chose to attend Beauxbaton but in the last two years the number has grown significantly. As long as they 'ave a basic grasp of French we accept them and provide additional language instruction," she said, her face turning more serious. "We think something is very wrong at Durmstrang. With so many more students electing to come 'ere, but no one being very specific as to why, we worry. As to you, 'arry, it appears you 'ave a very fearsome reputation at Durmstrang."

"Fearsome?" Harry asked, a bit shocked.

"Oui, my young friend. It is not surprising really. They 'ave always leaned in the direction of the dark arts and you 'ave been known to deal most 'arshly with those who practice them. Plus w'o knows what they 'ave been telling the students about you lately. Do not concern yourself too much, 'arry. You may get some strange looks these next two days but when they 'ave the chance to see you in person, they will change their minds, I think."

Harry looked up into the face of the Headmistress and nodded and smiled a bit, but inside he was concerned. Personally concerned about what these young, impressionable witches and wizards had been told about him, but more so about the larger issue of just what was going on at Durmstrang, and what did it portend for the future.


	8. Chapter 8

Professor Potter, Chapter 8

Harry sat in the elegant faculty lounge of Beauxbaton trying to concentrate on the conversation taking place. Professor LeMond was laying out the schedule for the next two days. Since it had been several years since his last visit it appeared that they were concentrating his time on those students who hadn't had the chance to interact with Harry, namely the first through third years. Gabrielle was doing a fine job of interpreting but his mind kept drifting back to the conversation he had just had with Madame Maxime. A light touch on his forearm from his 'little sister' brought him back to the conversation.

"Ees thees acceptable, 'arry?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. I'll enjoy working with the younger students," Harry replied with a smile.

Gabrielle relayed his response and the DADA professor smiled and then turned his attention to a wizard who had arrived a few minutes before.

"'arry," Gabrielle began to interpret, "thees ees Professor Wilhelm Hammerkopf. He ees our Charms instructor."

"Professor Potter," the short, stout wizard began, "it is indeed my distinct pleasure and honor to meet you. I am told that your encounter with my predecessor vas most, how to say it, educational."

Harry smiled a bit in embarrassment. He judged that the smaller man's amusement was genuine and he replied,

"For both Professor Fromage and myself. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir, and I look forward to working with you these next two days."

Harry offered his hand and it was accepted warmly. Harry took an instant liking to the wizard and judged him to be a far more worthy holder of the position of Charms instructor. Professor LeMond looked pleased and brought the meeting to a close with wishes for Harry to have a restful night and the promise of an interesting day tomorrow.

"Come, 'arry. I weell show you to your room," Gabrielle said, standing and offering Harry her hand.

"Thank you, Gabrielle. I could do with a good night's sleep. Oh, by the way. I was going to ask you before we had that little incident in the corridor if some time had been set aside for the fan club?" he asked.

Gabrielle's face got a little red at the mention of the club and she looked at Harry and said,

"Madame Maxime told me not to mention the club, since your time 'ere ees to be so short but everyone ees very 'opeful that you could find some time to meet weeth us."

"Well, I think I should be able to find some time, perhaps after dinner tomorrow night. I'll make sure Madame Maxime knows that it was my idea," he said, smiling as he saw the way Gabrielle's face lit up but then she looked down at the floor.

"'arry, I 'ave come to know that you were not very 'appy weeth the idea of the club when you found out about eet that Chreesmas at the Weasleys'," she said looking back up at Harry, her face quite serious.

Harry looked at those brilliant blue eyes regarding him so intently and knew that he couldn't be anything less than completely honest with her. He took in a breath and replied,

"You're right. I wasn't. I had been through so many bad experiences with attention focused on me that the idea of a fan club was a pretty big shock. But the way your sister pleaded with me not to let that show I had to go along with it. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't bring myself to hurt you like that. And it's not so bad really. They all seemed like such a great bunch when I met them that first time."

By the time Harry was finished Gabrielle was smiling and her eyes were a bit shiny. She put her arms around Harry's shoulders and hugged him tightly. When she let him go she said,

"No girl 'as ever 'ad a better brother. And I theenk you weell find the club to be even more to your likeeng, 'arry. But I weell let you see that for yourself tomorrow. Come, eet ees time for you to go to sleep," she said in a voice that sounded so much like her older sister as she hooked his arm with hers.

As they walked together out of the lounge a thought occurred to Harry.

"What plans do you have after you graduate?" he asked.

"I weell be spendeeng most of the summer with Bill and Fleur at Shell cottage. I can 'elp 'er with 'er new baby, or more likely, with leettle Victoire while she cares for the baby," she said with a smile.

"That's terrific. I hope you'll take time to visit us a lot. I know Ginny and Abagail will love seeing you," Harry said. "What about beyond the summer?"

"That ees much less certain, 'arry. Papa 'as said I could work for 'im in one of 'is bizznesses or with one of 'is associates. But I am not sure I weesh to do that. I am 'opeeng that I can theenk of sometheeng while I am weeth Fleur," she said thoughtfully.

"Well, I'm sure Bill can offer you some advice and I'd be glad to talk to you if you think it would be of help."

Gabrielle gave him an odd look and shook her head a bit, then squeezed his arm and said simply,

"Merci, mon frere. Ah, 'ere we are, your room. I understand one of Professor LeMond's senior students will be 'ere in the morneeng to escort you to the Dineeg Chamber. They say they do not want to burden me too much but I theenk they fear I weell try to keep you for myself," she said with a laugh.

Harry smiled in return and this time he initiated the hug and wished her a good night. He watched her as she walked away, wondering why her plans for the future weren't more solid. He shrugged and then let himself into his room. His backpack remained untouched. Harry had been very firm with Kreacher that neither he nor Dingle was to follow him to Beauxbaton. Not knowing the source or limitations of a house elf's powers he was concerned with taxing the older elf's strength and he wanted them both available to Ginny. After all, he was capable of taking care of himself for a couple of days.

The next morning after breakfast found Harry addressing a combined group of first through third year witches and wizards in the same enchanted lecture hall that allowed for Harry's English presentation to be heard in French without relying on an interpreter. Unlike his previous time in the hall, he wasn't speaking from behind a podium. At his request, a stool had been found and placed at the edge of the dais. He gave the youngsters a condensed version of his history working against the dark arts and as he spoke he scanned the audience looking for hints as to who might be among those that had transferred from Durmstrang. He figured this would be confined to the second and third years.

He couldn't be sure but there appeared to be two, both wizards, who looked rather uncomfortable and any time his gaze passed over them they quickly looked somewhere else. He made no outward recognition of their reactions. He opened up for questions and the first few were slow in coming but after some encouragement they started coming fast and furious. As the questions continued Harry noticed that several were very thoughtful and penetrating, going to the heart of an issue or action that Harry had described in this lecture. He also noticed that the students asking these questions wore the badge of the Harry Potter Fan Club. He resolved to ask a few questions of his own when they met that evening.

Harry was treated to an excellent lunch and his afternoon was given over to some work in Charms with the same group of younger students. Before the class started Professor Hammerkopf had told Harry that this was his second year at Beauxbaton. Apparently, Harry's antagonist, Professor Fromage had left not too long after their run in, both he and the school agreeing that it would be best for all concerned if his contract was not renewed. It only took Harry a short time to realize that the stout Austrian wizard was doing a far better job of teaching his students the proper use of a wand. With a twinkle in his eye, the professor asked Harry if he would oblige the class and demonstrate his Patronus charm. He confided to Harry that he only demonstrates it to his more senior students and unfortunately he can only manage a small badger. When Harry pulled his wand from his robe he got more than a few raised eyebrows at the ironwood creation.

With a half smile he gave his customary compact swish and flick and shouted 'Expecto Patronum' and the magnificent translucent stag appeared. Almost as if it could hear the 'oooh's and 'aahh's the stag began to prance in place and then took a turn around the outside perimeter of the classroom, allowing all the students a good look. It returned to stand in front of Harry and with a toss or two of its huge rack of antlers, disappeared.

"Herrliche, magnificent," Professor Hammerkopf enthused. "Thank you for that, Professor Potter. I have alvays vondered how it is that certain images of animals appear, but I have never found a satisfactory answer."

"I don't know how that works either, Professor. But I do know where the stag comes from. That's the form my father would take. He was an animagus."

Professor Hammerkopf simply nodded. The rest of the afternoon was given over to practical exercises where both Professors worked directly with students. Harry made a deliberate effort to engage the young wizards he had noticed during his lecture in the morning. His escort for the day provided translations and the two boys made sure they spoke directly to the translator and not to Harry. He thought he had made some progress because he noticed that by the time he was done, they had stopped trembling. When the afternoon came to an end Professor Hammerkopf thanked him profusely and the students gave him a rousing ovation. He noticed one of the two nervous boys giving him thoughtful looks and polite applause.

Dinner was an elegant affair. Chamber music wafted above the low level of conversation that Harry had come to associate with Beauxbaton at meal time. As the plates for the second course faded from sight and the third had yet to appear Madame Maxime took the opportunity to lean down a bit and said to Harry,

"I understand that you will be meeting with your fan club, yes, 'arry?"

"Yes, ma'am. I asked Gabrielle Delacour to arrange it for me. I thought with it having been such a while since I was here last and what a great group of students they are, that I should visit with them."

"I was not sure that you would wish to take the time, but it is very gracious of you. I am sure they will be most pleased," the Headmistress replied with a smile.

Once dessert was finished and Madame Maxime dismissed the students, Harry lingered to give them a chance to leave the hall and those in the club to get assembled. As he stood up he noticed Gabrielle standing by the exit, waiting patiently. Harry walked up and smiled,

"Good evening, Miss Delacour."

"Good eveneeng, Le Professeur," she replied with a dazzling smile and then taking Harry's arm in hers proceeded to guide him to the room where they were to meet. "Your day went well, yes?"

"Yes, it did. The young ones were very enthusiastic once they got past some nervousness. It was a lot of fun. Even the two that I think were from Durmstrang seemed to get used to me a bit by the end."

"Mon dieu," Gabrielle said with some exasperation. "The theengs that those children 'ave been sayeeng since they 'eard you were comeeng. You would think we were letteeng a dragon loose in the palace."

Harry started just a bit at what she said but she didn't notice.

"I wouldn't be too hard on them. We don't really know but I can imagine the kinds of things they may have heard about me. Hopefully, at least some of them will think differently by the time I leave."

"Always the gentleman, mon frère."

Harry just shrugged and then flinched a bit when he got a slap on the arm with Gabrielle's free hand. She looked at Harry as they walked along and said,

"That ees from Fleur."

Harry started to laugh and so did she. They got to the classroom that had been set aside and Gabrielle waved him inside. As he entered the assembled club members stood up and began to applaud in a manner more in line with Hogwarts students. Harry smiled and waved and shook hands with some of those closest to the door. A wizard looking to be a fifth or sixth year came forward and offered his hand to Harry.

"Soyes le bienvenue, Professeur Potter. My name is Claude Mercier, the president of the fan club."

Harry's eyebrows went up and he looked at Gabrielle, who had come to stand at his side.

"Oui, 'arry. We decided that the president should not be in 'is or 'er last year as there ees much to do and eet allows the last one to 'elp the new one."

Harry nodded and took the hand of the young wizard.

"Thank you for the welcome. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone."

The new president indicated that the members could begin to approach Harry and he shook hands with the original members, many he mentioned by name. It surprised even him how the names bubbled to the surface as he focused on a face. Then he was introduced to those new members that had joined since his last visit. He recognized those youngsters that had attracted his attention that morning. One face that he immediately recognized was that of Collette Dubois, the Quidditch seeker that had so impressed him during his first visit.

"Bonsoir, Professeur Potter. It is wonderful to see you again."

"Miss Dubois, what a terrific surprise. I don't remember you as a member when I was here last."

"No, sir. I joined soon after. You were so much 'elp that day I wished to learn more about you," she said, going a bit red in the face.

"I'm very flattered that you did. So how has the Quidditch been going?" Harry asked.

"Magnifique, Proffeseur. I 'ave been invited to try out for several teams. I 'ave 'igh 'opes," she replied happily.

Harry smiled broadly and then told her the story of what Ginny said after he had come home about what might happen if Collette grew up to help France beat Britain in a Quidditch Cup match and attributed her success to Harry's early advice. The young flyer turned bright red and giggled. Claude directed that everyone sit down, directing Harry to a chair at the front of the room facing the rest. Claude sat off to the right side and Gabrielle to the left.

"Well, first of all let me say it's a pleasure to be here with you. I'll have to admit I'm a little surprised that the club is still going strong. I wouldn't have thought that I'd still be of any interest to you," he said with a half smile.

The students arrayed before him looked shocked that he would even think to say such a thing. Claude looked over at Gabrielle and she made a gesture to him to sit back. She then looked at Harry and said,

"'arry, I theenk you 'ave the wrong idea. Eet ees my fault, yes? I should 'ave explained earlier. Eet ees true that when the club was first started we were perhaps a bunch of seelly girls weeth stars een our eyes. But as we began to learn more about you and to look past the 'eadlines, we decided there was much we could learn about mageec and DADA by studying what you 'ave accompleeshed. So, we began to research. Many letters were exchanged weeth Fleur and Geeny and other members of your family to get more information. We acquired books and newspaper articles. Different club members would study a particular situation or issue and make a report to the others. We would 'old debates, arguing the merits, 'ow you say, of 'ow you resolved situations."

Harry was looking at Gabrielle with his eyes wide. She was returning it with a slight tilt of her head and a quizzical smile.

"Ees sometheeng wrong, 'arry?"

"Um, no, not wrong. I just never would have thought you would all take so much interest in my activities, that's all."

"Please, Professuer," Claude began. "For those of us 'oo 'ave an interest in Defense Against the Dark Arts, as well as general magic, your experiences are of great value."

Harry sat back and scratched his head a bit. He had to admit, if viewed objectively, that what they said made a certain amount of sense. He did have a pretty extensive history and with it being recent, the information was more readily accessible to the students. With a bit of a shrug he said,

"Well if that's the case, do you have any questions you want to ask me?"

They did, indeed, and the questions and answers went back and forth for quite some time. Eventually, however, the evening wound down and Harry finally sat back in his chair and said,

"I don't think that I can really express just how impressed I am with all of you. It's amazing the amount of thought and effort you've put into your analysis of my various exploits," he said with a half smile. "I think you'll all have fine careers ahead of you, regardless of where you end up. I certainly hope some of you give serious consideration to going into magical law enforcement. I think there are some very fine investigators sitting in this room right now."

This was met with murmurs of 'thank you' and 'merci beau coup'.

"You're all very welcome," Harry replied. "Before we call it an evening I'd like to ask for one favor."

This got everyone's attention and Harry could see an almost mass shift of the students to the edges of their chairs.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, there are a greater number of students here at Beauxbaton who would usually have been attended Durmstrang. In addition, I understand there has been an upswing in the number of transfers. One could assume, I think, that all is not well there. I would ask that as you interact with these students that you be attentive to what they say. If there is anything that strikes you as odd or disconcerting, I'd ask that you bring it to the attention of your instructors. I'm not asking you to actively spy on anyone. I would hope that you do your best to befriend these students but if something should come up please take note of it."

The club members were nodding, their faces serious. One raised his hand and said,

"They are all afraid of you, Professeur."

Harry nodded and said,

"I've gathered that from the way some have been reacting towards me since I arrived. Hopefully some of that will change now that we've met."

Based on the expressions that met this comment, most of the students didn't share his optimism. The meeting broke up soon afterwards and Gabrielle walked with Harry back to his room.

"That was really something to see, Gabrielle," Harry said as they walked along the corridor. "The knowledge, the analysis, I hope that in the future they branch out and start to look at other topics, not just things I was involved in."

"You are not worthy of our attention, mon frère?" Gabrielle said with a small smile.

"Well, it's not that. It's just that there's a lot more going on in the world and it would be good for them to explore it."

The girl chuckled as she took hold of Harry's arm and said,

"So serious, mon frère. I was teaseeng. We do discuss other theengs but usually an action of yours is the starteeng point and then we progress from there. I will tell you that several of the club members 'ave already submitted applications to your Ministry. A number of others 'ave done the same 'ere in France and in a few other countries as well."

"Like I said, I expect they will be very successful. In a way I'm sorry that I won't be there to work with them but…" he finished with a shrug.

"Nonsense, you are where you belong, 'arry. 'ere we are. Sleep well and we shall see you in the morneeng," Gabrielle said when they got to his door, kissing his cheek before releasing his arm.

He did indeed sleep well, without dreams of either human or dragon kind. The following morning Harry spent with Professor LeMond and some of the senior DADA students. The Professor had described them as his best and brightest and was hoping that they would benefit from some one-on-one work with Harry. The first part of the morning was given over to discussion and analysis of tactics and strategies for dealing with various scenarios. Harry didn't say anything but he had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that suggested the Professor was concerned about the future and he was trying to prepare. The latter part was dedicated to practicing against simulated foes and dangers.

After the midday meal, a couple of hours were set aside for a more informal question and answer session between Harry and any students who wished to attend. Many members of the fan club were there but they didn't ask many questions, apparently having asked all they needed the previous evening. As Harry was talking or listening he let his eyes roam around the room. He noticed a knot of students of various ages off to one side of the room. They were regarding him intently. He recognized the student that had knocked himself out trying to run away from him the first evening.

He let his gaze linger on the group, trying to keep his expression as pleasant and open as he could, hoping to entice at least one of them to ask a question or make a comment. It didn't happen. He would just have to wait and see if his request to the club members would bear any fruit.

His last session of the day was a small discussion group in the faculty lounge. The headmistress officiated and the group including Professors LeMond and Hammerkopf as well as an elderly witch, Professor Blanc, who taught transfiguration and a petite middle aged witch, Professor Molyneux, the astronomy instructor.

"'arry, we wished to discuss a proposal with you that we 'ope you will bring to Professor McGonagall's attention," Madame Maxime began.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied.

"When you were last 'ere, you discussed with the Law Enforcement Minister the idea of an exchange program. We had thought that the idea could work for the schools as well. As I am sure you know, it didn't 'appen. We would very much like to try again. Perhaps to include exchanging Professeurs. What do you think, 'arry?"

"I think it's a terrific idea. I will certainly discuss it with Professor McGonagall when I get back. Have you worked up any particulars?"

The Headmistress pulled out a roll of parchment and handed it to Harry. The assembled group spent the next hour discussing the ideas and possibilities. As the discussion wound down the Headmistress looked at her guest and her expression turned serious.

"'arry, there is a reason that we are interested in doing this," she said.

"Durmstrang," was all Harry said.

"Oui, yes. We are very much concerned with what may be 'appening there. Whether it is something as bad as Voldemort, we do not know, but we think we should be ready. Some have suggested we need to investigate but that is not something we know much about," she replied.

He didn't reply, only nodded.

"I do not wish for you visit to end so somberly, 'arry. But we think it is important."

"Yes, ma'am. I think you're right. We all know how things went the last time when we didn't pay enough attention in the beginning. In any event, I think the exchange idea is a great one and I'll champion it at Hogwarts."

This got smiles all around and they all left the lounge for the Dining Chamber and Harry's farewell dinner. As always the food was magnificent and Harry did his best to enjoy it and make sure he ate as much as he could manage, knowing he had a long flight home. The meal concluded with Madame Maxime offering some very complimentary words thanking Harry for his time and efforts and with hopes he would be able to return soon. The students applauded vigorously and with smiles and waves Harry allowed Gabrielle to escort him from the hall. A small deputation from the club provided additional escort.

His backpack was waiting for him at the door. The porter swung the door open and Harry and Gabrielle made their way out onto the broad staircase. Harry turned and looked at Gabrielle and her schoolmates.

"I'll leave you here, my friends. I appreciate your welcome and I wanted to say again how impressed I am with the efforts you've put into your work. I'm sure you'll all do well in whatever you choose to do in life," he said to the club members and then squarely faced Gabrielle.

"Would you walk me the rest of the way, little sister?" he asked with a smile.

Gabrielle flushed slightly and grinned as she nodded. She hooked Harry's arm and together they walked down the elegant marble staircase. When they got to the bottom Harry stopped them and turned to face Fleur's not so little sister.

"It was brilliant seeing you again, Gabrielle. Thank you for making me feel at home and keeping an eye on me. Make sure you visit us as soon as you can after school is out. We'll all be anxious to see you."

"Merci beau coup, mon frère. Eet was my pleasure to help you, 'arry. Eet was very kind of you to share your time weeth us," Gabrielle said as she caught Harry up in a tight hug.

She eased her hold on him and with her lips inches from his ear asked quietly,

"'ow weell you return 'ome, 'arry? You 'ave some treeck up your sleeve, yes?"

Harry replied just as quietly,

"It's a family secret, Gabrielle. I'll explain it all to you when you come to visit, alright?"

She pulled her head back and looked at Harry with a cocked eyebrow.

"I was makeeng the joke, 'arry. Ees there really some special mageek involved?"

"Yes, there is and as I said, I'll tell you all about it when I see you this summer," he said.

Gabrielle smiled, shook her head a bit and then leaned in to kiss Harry's cheeks in farewell. She released her hold on him and stepped back. Harry caught hold of her hand and gave it a final squeeze, looked back up the stair case for a final wave to the small group who stood watching and then turned and began walking away from the staircase. As he did, he called up the invisibility spell but instead of winking out of sight he slowly released it and the effect was for the students to see him fade from view in the lowering twilight. Once he was sure he was fully invisible he Disapparated back to the meadow he found a few miles north of the school.

While the twilight faded to darkness he checked his backpack to make sure all was in order, including the roll of parchment that was the exchange program proposal safely tucked away. When he felt sure it was dark enough he looked inward and in two heartbeats he was the dragon. In moments he was airborne, sweeping his way up into the night sky, his dark green coloring offering excellent camouflage. He set off south-southwest, passing over the sparsely populated area to the west of Beauxbaton and soon he was out over the Mediterranean.

Once he was at a comfortable altitude he repeated the procedure he had developed or rediscovered and with his wings tucked in a tight 'v' at his side he was soon jetting through the nighttime sky. It wasn't long before he was arrowing westward over the Pyrenees mountains and then out over the Bay of Biscay. He shifted his track northward and once more two slightly bewildered RAF radar operators were staring at their screen.

"There it is again, sir," the non com seated before the screen said.

"Looks like it's heading straight for the coast of Cornwall at about four hundred knots. But I don't recognize the return signature at all. It gives the impression of size but the return is weak."

"The yanks, you think, sir?"

"Not at first glance, sergeant. They always seem to try and squeeze the return as small as they can. It almost seems like it's a large non-metallic object."

"A lighter-than-air craft, you think?"

"Wot? At four hundred knots? Not bloody likely."

"Should we issue an alert?" the sergeant asked.

"Just ask anyone in the air to keep an eye open. I don't think we need to go so far as to scramble fighters."

"Yes, sir."

Unaware of the scrutiny, the object of the two men's attention was rapidly approaching the southwest coast. As the flat horizon began to get more irregular as he closed in on land Harry dropped to skim barely above the waves. He bled off speed as he descended and by the time the coarse beach was below him he was able to back wing to a hover and drop onto the sand just at the waterline. He made the change and quickly moved away from the water. He was confident the rising tide would wash away the very large prints he left in the sand.

He Disapparated the short distance from the Cornish coast to Meadow Crest in Devon and wound up on the path leading up to the front door of his house. He was tired and more than a little hungry after all the energy he expended speeding through the sky. But he wouldn't have traded the experience for just about anything in the world. He probably would have for what greeted him as the door swung open, however. Kreacher stepped aside and Ginny, holding young James, hurried through.

"Oh, Harry, it's so good to have you home. How was your trip?" she managed to get out before being swept up in Harry's arms.

Both wife and son received kisses and in a tight bundle they walked through the door, Kreacher closing it behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

Professor Potter, Chapter 9

Harry sat at the kitchen table finishing off the remnants of his third helping of breakfast. It was the Saturday morning after his return from Beauxbaton. It promised to be a busy day. The Tome Study Group, as it had come to be known, was scheduled to arrive around ten o'clock to further discuss the way forward in researching Merlin's book. He was also expecting a visit from Bill and Charlie, as well as Mr. Oglethorpe of QUABBLE and Mr. Pinewood of the Nimbus broomstick company. They were scheduled to arrive around two o'clock to discuss the rapidly developing plans for the public Quidditch pitches. When Bill had talked to him the day before about meeting, he indicated that there was tremendous interest in the project.

Professor McGonagall was going to join the Tome group but indicated she wanted some time with Harry to discuss the proposal he had given her the prior morning. So much for the quiet life of an English country gentleman he thought. Ginny and James were gone for the day, having been gathered up by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for a jaunt out to Shell Cottage to visit with Fleur and Victoire. The increasingly pregnant Fleur was restricting her travel these days and Harry was pretty sure that Ginny would be carrying back a demand for Harry to come out and visit. He thought he'd pop out tomorrow as he wanted to talk about what was going on with Gabrielle and her plans for the future.

He had had a bit of a lie-in as the trip to Beauxbaton had been rather tiring so he didn't have much time from the end of breakfast until the study group arrived. It must have been a coordinated trip from Hogwarts. Harry was sitting in the living room waiting when he heard the front door being opened and Kreacher offering welcomes. The entire group was led in by Professor McGonagall.

"Good morning, Professor Potter," she began with a twinkle in her eye. "Thank you for hosting us this morning."

"It's my pleasure, ma'am," Harry replied evenly, wondering what the Headmistress was on about.

The rest of the group trooped in, offering Harry greetings. Just as the academics were getting comfortable hurried footsteps could be heard coming down the hall way. A head of bushy brown hair peered around the edge of the entrance.

"Sorry I'm a bit late, everyone," Hermione said.

"No need, Mrs. Weasley, we've all only just arrived," offered the Headmistress from her comfortable chair. "Please join us. It's wonderful to see you."

The other instructors offered similar greetings and Hermione took a seat near Professors Vector and Babbling. Harry took his customary seat near the hearth, a low fire burning to ward off the winter morning chill.

"Well, where to begin?" Professor McGonagall started. "Harry, during your absence we had a few conversations about the project. Do you know if Charlie Weasley has had any success with the binding?"

"Yes, ma'am. He was here during the week looking into it and he had a talk with the bookbinders at Willikins and Burbarry's, the publishers. He'll be here this afternoon on another matter but he said he should be able to take it apart and we can start parting out the appropriate sections. Ginny has been busy too and has arranged for some desks and tables to be delivered next week to put in the basement so we should be ready to start work very shortly."

"Excellent," she replied.

"Harry, if I may?" Professor Vector asked.

"Certainly, sir."

"Professor Babbling and I would like to take a look at the first section of the Tome and copy out some of the symbols and pictograms before we leave. We think we can do some research to try and identify their origins that way."

"Of course, you can use the library for as long as you need," Harry replied.

"There is one other thing," Professor Babbling began. "There is a young wizard at Hogwarts, a seventh year. He's an absolute genius where runes and arithmancy are concerned. We'd like to involve him in the project if there are no objections."

"If you and Professor Vector vouch for him I don't see that there should be any problem, ma'am," Harry said. "A seventh year? He would have been in my first year DADA course when I was a seventh year. What's his name?"

"Angus MacAskill."

Harry thought back to his classroom as a seventh year teaching assistant. The name called to mind a tallish, thinly built boy. Harry recalled two details about him. The first was that he never spoke in class and second, his homework was always letter perfect.

"He's a Hufflepuff, yes? Very quiet, very smart as I recall."

"You recall correctly," Professor Vector said. "He's still very much the same. You can barely get a word out of him but his work is some of the most scholarly I've ever seen."

"I don't recall seeing him these last couple of years," Harry said.

"I wouldn't expect you would, Harry. He's concentrating entirely on Runes and Arithmancy and rarely leaves the library between classes," Professor Babbling replied.

"Well, I certainly have no objections. I think we'll need all the brainpower we can muster," Harry said.

The others nodded and the conversation got down to details, arranging for times to visit the house and work on the book as well as confirming who was teaming with whom. Harry provided lunch in the dining room but it was more of a working affair with much conversation and not a little note taking in between bites. After lunch the group retired to the library, where Professors Vector and Babbling began to copy various symbols and pictograms. Professor McGonagall waved Harry aside and said,

"Harry, I had a chance to read through what Madame Maxime proposed and I must say it appears to be an excellent idea. Professor Dumbledore was especially pleased, he always had hopes that we could get away from some of the parochial attitudes of the past and this seems an excellent way to do it. It's apparent they think very highly of Hogwarts and I believe you have the most to do with that."

"Maybe," Harry said, suppressing his instinctive shrug. "I happen to think very highly of them. They have some very highly capable students and the faculty is top notch."

"Well, I realize you have a very full plate these days, Professor, but I would expect you to take an active role in this program. I'd like to establish a committee or board to evaluate candidates and make selections. I'd like you to head that up," the Headmistress said.

"Oh, well, I think I could do that, Professor."

"Marvelous, we'll talk about it more next week," Professor McGonagall said with a smile.

Shortly after this conversation, Kreacher stood in the doorway to the library.

"Master Harry, the other guests have arrived and are waiting in the living room."

"Thank you, Kreacher, I'll be right there," Harry replied.

"Master Harry is most welcome."

Harry excused himself from the library, only Professor McGonagall offering any acknowledgement, the others were lost in their tasks. Harry walked into the living room where the four men were standing in a loose group.

"Harry, good to see you," Bill said with a smile. "I'm sorry to have to tell you but you're in big trouble and the only way to make amends is to take a trip to beg forgiveness tomorrow."

"I thought as much but I figured it would be Ginny who was going to tell me that. I planned on coming out to Shell Cottage tomorrow."

"Well said," Bill replied.

There were handshakes all around and then the five took seats. Dunbar Oglethorpe was the first to speak.

"Harry, since you gave permission we've been very busy. Bill here mentioned to me about a possible building earlier in the week and over all we think we have a brilliant plan. With the room available we propose four open style pitches. Spectators can use blankets or their own chairs to sit on. The idea is to have three of the pitches on a scheduled basis and the fourth one first come first served. We think it will get pretty popular pretty fast and having all four up for grabs might get chaotic. We will of course make use of the appropriate invisibility and diversion spells to keep any muggles from catching on. As to the old barn and it's foundation we think it would make a great multipurpose facility. I popped up there the other day and it could have enough space for changing rooms, an eatery, and several companies have expressed interest in taking space to set up small shops. That's why Mr. Pinewood is here."

"That's right, Harry," the Nimbus executive began. "We think there is a great opportunity here. We wouldn't expect to sell brooms necessarily but to offer small accessories that might be needed during a match or repairs afterwards. I've heard from several firms that have similar ideas."

"Wow," Harry said. "This is really turning into something big."

He sat back in his chair, his expression thoughtful as he looked out the big window that looked over the winter browned lawn. The other four men watched him until Charlie said,

"Is there a problem, Harry?"

"Hmm, no, not a problem. But I was thinking. If it turns out that this becomes a profit making opportunity for someone, the food concessionaires, the equipment companies, I think we need to look at sharing some of that. I'm not talking about rent, but maybe set up a fund that can be drawn on to make sure the facilities are kept up and then maybe look at providing equipment for youngsters who can't afford their own. Maybe start a summer youth league, that sort of thing."

He was still looking out the window so he didn't notice the looks and nods that he got. He returned his attention to the others and said,

"Well, I like what I'm hearing, but the first thing we need to do is get a hold of whatever records there might be that establishes the boundaries of the property so we know exactly what we have to work with. Then we need a demolition crew to clean the place up. And so on."

"I believe we can help there, Harry," Dunbar said. "I have some contacts that can get what we need from the muggle county authorities up there. Your brothers and I can work out the issues with the demolition. We think you have enough going on with your work at Hogwarts so we'll try not to burden you with too many of the details."

"And I'll get together with the other firms and work something out about that fund you were discussing. We had been thinking about renting space but I must say your idea is much more in keeping with the spirit of the whole project," Mr. Pinewood offered.

The men spoke for a while longer and then the meeting broke up. Harry escorted Oglethorpe and Pinewood to the door and after shaking hands he turned to his brothers.

"That went pretty well. Now what do you say we go see how the study group is doing. They're really anxious for you to get that book apart, Charlie."

"I can imagine, Harry. I think I've got it all figured out. Let's go see what we can do."

The three entered the library to find the study group divided into two groups. Professors Vector and Babbling had their heads together over some sheets that they must have copied from the tome. Professor Flitwick and Hermione were leafing through a small volume that one or the other must have brought with them. Professors Slughorn and Sprout were occupied with the tome proper, somewhere near the end.

Harry coughed a bit to get their attention. When he had it he said,

"If you can spare a moment or two, why don't we see what Charlie has been able to come up with?"

The Potions and Herbology teachers stepped back from the book and the rest shifted position so they had a view of what was to happen without being in the way. Charlie took out his wand and laid it beside the book and then removed a small phial of clear fluid from an inside pocket of his robe. He looked back at his brother and asked,

"We are pretty certain that there are no curses or traps, right?"

"I've checked it every way I know how and haven't found anything. How about you, Professor Flitwick?" Bill asked.

"To the best of my knowledge it's completely benign," the little wizard replied.

"Alright then, here we go."

Charlie closed the book and turned it over. This exposed the knots that held the leather strips together that bound the book. He took out his wand and tapped each complicated looking knot and muttered a few words. Each knot appeared to slowly shift, but in fact simply showed its true nature as the illusion of the much more complicated one faded away. When this was completed he opened the phial and let one drop of the syrupy liquid drip out onto each knot. The dry leather soaked up the liquid quickly. A faint vapor rose from each one and after a moment the knots began to unravel themselves.

When the leather strips stopped moving Charlie slowly lifted the wooden rear cover of the book and set it aside carefully. As he took his hands away there was a faint hiss and a small cloud of white vapor rose up over the unadorned leather surface. Charlie took a step back while everyone else leaned in a bit. From out of the cloud peered a pair of eyes, at once ancient and youthful, that Harry immediately recognized. In a strong voice 'Merlin' spoke,

"Congratulations, you have solved the first puzzle. You are well begun. You have chosen well, young Harry."

And with that the little cloud evaporated. Charlie looked at Harry with his eyebrows raised.

"Was that really…?" he managed to ask.

"It was the eyes and the voice, that I clearly remember," Harry said. "That the apparition used my name is a bit of a puzzler though."

"Well, at least we know our disassembling the tome isn't an issue," offered Professor McGonagall. "Have we made any provisions for safeguarding the various sections?"

"Yes, ma'am," Harry offered.

He went over to the shelves nearest where the tome was kept and took down several plain wooden boxes. He carried them over to the desk and put them beside the tome.

"Each section can go in a separate box. We'll mark the outside and for now leave them here in the library until things are ready in the basement," he said as he opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out several smaller boxes. "Ginny also picked up some things that might help keep everything in order. We can use these to put page numbers on the individual sheets without actually writing on the parchment."

The small boxes apparently came from a stationary store and included clips, tabs and small sequentially numbered labels that could be temporarily affixed to the edges of the sheets.

"Well done, Harry," the Headmistress said. "And to you, too, Charlie. You've got us over our first obstacle quite nicely."

"Thank you, ma'am. Well, if you don't need me I have someone waiting for me. Harry, we'll be in touch next week sometime to keep you up to date on the Quidditch project."

With handshakes, Bill and Charlie left the library. Harry went to the book and with great care turned the tome over so it rested on the now loose back cover. He removed the front cover and placed it aside. Slowly and carefully he worked his way through the book, removing identifiable sections and placing them in one of the boxes. The name of the section was written on the attached label by Hermione in her clear crisp script and then she placed it back on the shelf. Hermione and Professor Flitwick separated the Latin section into two parts. The first appeared to be in living Latin, written during the time of the great empire and the other section appeared to be in a more vernacular form they think was used after the fall of Rome but survived among the few remaining scholars and other learned people. The remainder of the book went into the last box.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Professor McGonagall started, "it's been a productive day and I think it's time we left Professor Potter to his business. Thank you, Harry."

"No, thank you all. I know the tome was left to me, but I think only as a custodian. That's a legacy much too big for just one wizard."

"Would that all wizards and witches had your wisdom, Harry," the Headmistress said with a small smile.

With that everyone gathered their materials and personal effects and Harry escorted them to the front door. He and Hermione watched as they Disapparated from the front portico. Hermione was to stay and soon Ron would be arriving to have dinner with Harry and Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. The two friends, and more, walked back into the library. Harry sat down in his favorite chair and Hermione took the one to his left.

"Well, I must say, Professor Potter, that seemed to go very well," she said with an impish grin.

"Well, thank you very much, Mrs. Weasley. It did indeed, although that little cloud was a bit of a surprise."

"More than just a little. Especially the way he mentioned you by name. I wonder what other surprises he has in store for us," Hermione mused.

"I'd imagine one or two, but I'm pretty certain it won't be anything unpleasant. I got the impression he genuinely wanted to share his knowledge with us," Harry said quietly.

They didn't get any further in the conversation as Kreacher ushered Ron into the library. Before Harry could even get out of his chair, Hermione was already moving toward her husband at a run. Their meeting and greeting was intense and Harry could see Ron going red from where he stood. He couldn't help but smile. When his two best friends separated Harry stepped up and offered his hand to Ron.

"Good to see you, mate," Ron said.

"Thanks, Ron. How have things been with you? How's the training coming?" Harry asked.

"We're down for a couple of weeks, Harry. They were giving it to us pretty good there for a while but Chief Maxwell decided to give us a breather and get us back on patrol rotation. He said he didn't want us losing our connection with the public. We have some new recruits as well so we're helping get them on their feet."

"Sounds good."

"It's working great. You did a good job setting everything up and getting it going," Ron said with a grin.

Harry replied with his customary shrug and half smile, getting rolled eyes from both his friends. They had just gotten settled into chairs when Ginny hurried through the door with her arms loaded with James. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could be heard out in the corridor.

"Hello everybody, it's great to see you," Ginny said as she moved towards Harry who was getting up from his chair.

He took James and hugged him and then looked at him and said,

"Hello young man, I hope you were good for your mother."

"Of course he was, Harry," Ginny said as she exchanged embraces with Hermione and then her brother. "He and little Vee spent most of the day playing or napping. Oh, and by the way. You've been commanded to make an appearance tomorrow."

"I know, Bill already told me," Harry replied.

"Fleur is dying to know what went on at Beauxbaton," Ginny said.

"Well, I have plenty to tell, and I guess it'll start with all of you. Why don't we go into the living room, it will be more comfortable and it's a little while until dinner."

"Great idea," Ginny replied and they all moved toward the door, gathering up Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who had just come in.

Once they were all settled in, Harry began to relate his story about his trip to Beauxbaton and all that had occurred. Mrs. Weasley clucked her tongue in mild disapproval as Harry talked about flying as the dragon.

"And what would have happened if someone had seen you, Harry?" she asked.

"Oh, I imagine it would be chalked up to another strange unidentified flying object sighting. Let's face it, if someone saw a dragon flying overhead and said as much, everyone would just say they were crazy. Besides, it was just too much fun not to do," Harry finished with a grin.

Ron had been listening closely to Harry's description of flying and then laughed loudly at his best mate's last remarks. Ginny just shook her head. Mrs. Weasley gave her youngest son the evil eye but said nothing more. As Harry discussed what had transpired with the students Mr. Weasley commented,

"It's nice to hear they got rid of that pompous buffoon you had to deal with the last time. This Hammerkopf fellow sounds like a solid professional."

"That he is, Dad. I liked him right from the start and he's got his students well trained in technique and execution. The Beauxbaton students are very impressive."

"How is Gabi doing, Harry," Ginny asked.

"She seems to be doing alright, Gin, but I think there may be a bit of an issue there. We were talking about her plans for after graduation. She's going to be staying with Bill and Fleur for the summer to help with the new baby, but she doesn't seem to have anything solid lined up for afterward. She said she could work for her dad or one of his friends but it was very tenuous. I don't think she knows what she wants to do."

"Well, that's not terribly uncommon, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said. "There are many times when a student isn't sure where they want to go or what they'll be doing. Maybe she'll get some ideas being here for the summer, get a fresh perspective."

"Maybe. I told her she was welcome to visit us anytime, I'm sure Ginny and Abagail would love to have her around," Harry said.

"I'm sure Abagail would love having someone her own age around the place. Harry can be such a grumpy old man to have around," Ginny said with a straight face.

"Hey!"

Everyone started to laugh. Then Ginny pursed her lips and squinted a bit.

"Although I'm not sure I like the idea of having such a beauty hanging around the house."

Harry looked at his wife and said,

"What's one more? I've already got you and Abagail, occasionally Fleur, and then there's Angelina, not to mention El and Audrey are pretty attractive as well."

Ginny gave Harry a 'look' and then let the subject drop. The discussion at this point turned to the Quidditch park and the exchange program. Eventually, Nibs appeared to announce dinner was ready in the dining room and they all made their way there. They were perhaps half way through the meal when Harry raised a more serious topic.

"Dad, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course, Harry. What is it?"

"When you go in on Monday, could you stop by Games and Sports and see if anyone knows of a way to locate Viktor Krum?"

At the name of the famous Bulgarian seeker heads turned and everyone was looking at him.

"What's up with him, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry explained what he had be told and seen at Beauxbaton regarding the students who had either transferred or come directly there instead of Durmstrang.

"I thought maybe as one of their most famous recent graduates he might have some idea of what's going on. Ron, I also need you to take a message to Milligan. I'll write it up after dinner."

"Are you worried that something is going on at Durmstrang, Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"I'm sure something is going on, but we don't know what is causing the students to not want to be there. I mean it could be as simple as a new head that no one likes or a change in staff. Or it could be something much more serious. I'd just like to know. Look at what happened before when we ignored the signs."

"Well, no one can accuse you of not learning lessons from the past, Harry. Of course I'll check into Viktor Krum for you," Mr. Weasley said.

"No worries on the message, mate. I'll get it to Mr. Milligan first thing," Ron added.

"Thanks."

The rest of dinner passed with more discussion about the Quidditch park. Harry was looking at Ron when he said,

"You know, Ron, we should probably name the place after you. It grew out of your original idea for the club matches at Hogwarts."

Ron started to blush bright red, which clashed horribly with his orangey red hair.

"That's alright, mate, but once the place is built we should think about getting a team of our own together. Can you imagine what sort of talent we could put in the air?"

"Hmm, a couple of pros, a bunch of Hogwarts standouts, yeah, it would be pretty impressive," Harry said. "And since I'm on such good terms with the management I could probably get us on the playing schedule pretty easily."

This got a laugh from everyone. It had been a long day for everyone so once dinner was concluded it wasn't too long before everyone had said their farewells and headed for their homes or in Ginny and Harry's case, to their room. Sleep was quick in coming and Harry felt he was going to need it for his trip to Shell Cottage.

With that in mind he was up early and ate a full breakfast. As he contemplated the trip to visit Fleur a thought occurred to him, a thought that left him feeling rather ashamed of himself. In all this time and with the several trips to Shell Cottage, he had never taken the time to visit the seaside grave of Dobby. He wasn't sure why he had never done it. Perhaps it was something he needed Dr. Parsons to delve into. Whatever the reason he was going to make sure he visited this time.

He left from the portico and arrived at the far end of the garden where the now grass covered mound and headstone sat just as he had left them. He stood for a time, looking at the words, 'Here lies Dobby, a free elf'. It finally occurred to him that the gravesite was immaculate. The winter browned grass was neatly trimmed and the white headstone practically glowed, it was so clean. He would have to thank Bill and Fleur for taking care of it.

He stood for a few moments more and then walked the short distance to the front door and knocked. It didn't take but a moment for the door to swing wide and a dazzling pair of blue eyes regarded him intently. Fleur stood for a moment and then stepped back and allowed Harry to walk past her into the small sitting room. He saw Bill sitting on a chair, little Victoire perched on his lap. She was the first to say anything.

"Uncle 'arry!" she shouted as she slid off her father's lap and ran the short distance to be swept up by her favorite uncle.

"Hello there, sweetheart. How are you?" Harry asked.

"G'd, Uncle 'arry."

He gave her a last hug and set her down and turned to face Fleur. Her lips slowly turned up and she opened her arms, as much command as invitation, and Harry stepped forward and was caught up in the slender, yet strong arms.

"Ah, mon frere, eet ees so good to see you," she said.

Harry knew not to stint, despite her advanced pregnancy.

"It hasn't been all that long, Fleur. We were all together for Christmas."

"'arry, you 'ave just been to Beauxbaton. I weesh to 'ear all about eet. So come, seet down and tell us."

Harry took a seat on the small couch and was immediately joined by Victoire, who sat next to him and took hold of his hand in both of hers. He began to discuss his trip and just as Mrs. Weasley had, Fleur made sounds of disapproval as he talked about flying as the dragon. The difference was she didn't say anything more. Bill just smiled a bit.

"Any idea how fast you were going, Harry?" he asked.

"Not really, but the whole trip only took a few hours and it was a bit on the round about side. I can say I was moving right along," Harry quipped.

Fleur simply shook her head. Then Harry began to talk about the meeting with the Fan Club and how impressed he was.

"Oui, 'arry. Gabi 'ad written to me about that some time ago. She weeshed eet to be more than just a group of starry eyed children. I theenk she 'ad some sense that maybe you were not too comfortable weeth the idea and she wanted to make eet sometheeng you would approve of."

"I certainly do. They're a sharp bunch of kids, that's for sure," he replied.

Having brought up the idea of the fan club, the issue of Gabrielle's unsettled future came to mind and his expression must have shown it.

"What ees wrong, 'arry?"

"I don't know if I'd say something is wrong, Fleur, but Gabrielle was telling me about the plans for the summer, which are great, it'll be nice having her close by, but after that…" he finished with a shrug.

"Oui, 'arry. Poor Gabi ees very, 'ow you say, unsure of 'er future."

"But why, Fleur? She's such a bright witch, full of confidence and energy. I'd have thought all kinds of options were open to her," Harry said.

"She ees very bright, that ees true, 'arry and she 'as much energy, but I'm afraid the confidence ees more appearance than truth. Eet was not easy growing up my seester at Beauxbaton," Fleur said, a little anxiety showing on her face. "Many times her letters contained words that told me she was feeleeng pression, um, pressure. Professuers would say 'I remember your seester, you 'ave large shoes to feell'."

"I had no idea," Harry said quietly.

"'ow would you know, mon frere? But you cannot 'elp but care, can you?" she said.

"Well, she's family, Fleur."

"I know, 'arry," she said with a smile. "When she ees 'ere thees summer you can per'aps 'elp 'er work 'er way through 'er uncertainty. She greatly respects you."

Harry suppressed a shrug and said,

"I had made that offer to her already. And she'll have the chance to spend some time with Abagail and she has a way of helping people sort through this kind of thing. We'll give her as much help as she wants."

The discussion next fell to the issue of what was happening at Durmstrang. Bill scowled, giving his scarred face a particularly frighten aspect.

"That doesn't sound very promising," he said.

"I dunno yet, Bill. It could be something as simple as the school falling on hard times, or maybe whoever succeeded Karkaroff is unpopular or can't keep good staff. Or," he said with heavy emphasis, "it is something darker and more dangerous. I'm already looking for some more information and then we'll know."

Bill nodded. In the ensuing lull in the conversation Harry thought of something and said,

"I stopped at Dobby's grave when I first got here. You've been doing a great job of keeping it up. Thank you."

Bill shook his head and said,

"It hasn't been us, Harry. In all the time it's been out there, we've never had to pick as much as a blade of loose grass off of it. I don't know who's doing it but it's always spotless and in the warmer weather flowers are often left on it."

Harry frowned, trying to think of who would be doing that, without being seen or heard. He'd like to know so he could thank them. Another mystery. Harry spent the rest of the morning at the cottage, talking and playing with Victoire. He and Bill talked more about the Quidditch park and Fleur asked more questions about how Beauxbaton was. It was obvious she missed seeing the magnificent palace. Harry begged off staying for lunch, saying he didn't want to destroy their food budget for the month. With handshakes and hugs, he left the cottage and Disapparated back to Meadow Crest.

He had lunch with Ginny and James and spent the remainder of the day with them, either playing with James or sharing time in the library, Ginny working on the often sidelined journal. As Harry read, his attention would drift to the boxes that now contained the tome. He thought about the task of translation and dissemination that lay ahead. Then there were the issues of Durmstrang, the exchange program, the Quidditch park, not to mention trying to help Gabrielle and what life held for Abagail once she graduated. He began to wonder if perhaps there was a comfortable cave somewhere that would fit a rather large dragon.

He laughed to himself and went back to his reading.


	10. Chapter 10

Professor Potter, Chapter 10

In the weeks that followed Harry's return from Beauxbaton he was busier than the most hectic times at the Ministry. His students were of course his main concern and he was spending a great deal of time both in and out of class getting them ready for their year-end exams. As Professor McGonagall had indicated, a small committee was formed to begin the process of determining how the exchange program would function and what the qualifications for successful candidates would be. And as promised, Harry was the committee chair. The Tome Study Group was starting to pick up momentum with someone at the Potter home every weekend, sequestered in the now equipped basement, pouring over pages or huddled in twos and threes trying to unraveling this or that puzzle.

One area that wasn't taking much of Harry's time was the public Quidditch park. The folks at QUABBLE had taken hold of the project with an almost religious zeal and while they kept Harry informed with regular message traffic, there was very little asked of him other than his opinion on this or that idea and around the beginning of April, his signature on a formal letter of agreement for the use of the land for the stated purpose of erecting and maintaining four pitches and a 'general purpose' building.

The role of father came heavily in to play in April as well. The first matter was the joyous event of James' first birthday on the fourth. Since the actual day fell midweek the day was recognized with a quiet dinner with the immediate family plus grandparents. The true party was scheduled for the following Saturday at Meadow Crest with all family and friends invited. Harry was looking forward to it with great enthusiasm.

However, the second issue intervened the day after James' actual birthday and it threatened to cast a heavy pall over the celebration. At least for Harry. It was his usual Thursday night to stay up at Hogwarts, and as was his habit, he was sitting at the junior end of the Gryffindor table reading through some student essays when he sensed more than saw someone approaching from his left side.

"Hello, little one, how are you doing this evening?" he asked without looking up.

Had he been looking he would have seen Abagail's small smile on an otherwise somber face.

"Um, Harry," she said in her quiet voice, "could I talk to you, in private?"

Harry looked up, the tone of her voice and the use of his first name putting him on alert.

"Of course, there's a problem?" he asked, although it was really more of a statement than a question.

She simply nodded and Harry could feel the anxiety radiating from her. He had noticed she was not herself since his return to school the previous Monday but he tried to respect her privacy and not intrude on her while she was at school.

He gathered up his papers and stood up, gesturing that she should come along. They left via the side entrance and made their way to Harry's new office that formerly belonged to the Headmistress. Harry closed the door behind him and indicated that she should sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He put his briefcase down and took the other vacant chair, preferring not to have the desk between them.

He looked at her for a moment and saw the sad eyes, the set of her mouth and the thin lips as if she was trying to cap off her emotions. Her hands were clasp together as they rested in her lap.

"What's troubling you, little one?" he asked quietly.

She tried to start speaking but had to stop to gather herself before finally whispering.

"Tom came up this weekend. He said he needed to talk to me."

Harry's stomach tightened.

"He said that he thought it would be best if we didn't…" she stopped, her lips tightening and her chin starting to quiver a bit, and then taking a deep breath she continued. "If we didn't see each other anymore. Apparently he's been having trouble with, well, the idea of us as 'us'. You know what I mean?"

Harry nodded, watching as her big bottomless eyes began to fill. He reached across the space between them and took both her small hands in one of his. That contact and the concern that it communicated broke the last of Abagail's control and she began to cry in earnest. Harry slid his chair next to hers so that he could wrap his free arm around her shoulders and pull her closer, her head resting on his shoulder. He gave her what time she needed, knowing that the situation with his former assistant had been bothering her for some time now. He could feel the sadness and disappointment welling up from deep inside her. When he felt the tears subsiding he eased his hold on her and leaned back a little to look at her.

"Did that help any?"

"Not much, but a bit," she replied with a sniff. "At least it's easier than trying to hold it in."

"Shall we talk about it?"

"I think so," she said, sitting up a bit straighter, reaching up to take Harry's other hand in hers. "I'm not sure why I'm so upset. It wasn't like it was this wildly romantic relationship. The most he ever did was kiss me on the cheek or hold my hand. Which I'm sure is a great relief to you," she said.

Harry tried hard to hide it but he had to admit he was relieved in a way.

"But he was someone that I did feel close to. I looked forward to his visits and his messages and even if he was quiet and reserved we could still talk and it didn't feel like all my issues were, well, issues. I guess I was wrong," she said, her head hanging down again.

"He never let on that he had concerns about you?"

"Not in so many words. I knew the fact that the Aurors were watching him bothered him but he just kind of shrugged it off. And I never 'looked' at him to see what he was thinking," she said with a sigh. "It might have saved me a lot of trouble if I had."

"No, I don't think so, little one. At some point you have to learn to trust someone. And it's mutual. That would be hard to do if the other person knew you would get inside their heads like that. It's a risk we all have to take at some time or another," he finished.

He heard the deep sigh and felt her lean back into his shoulder. Without looking at anything in particular he said,

"I will say this. I'm not going to tell you 'stiff upper lip' or any of the rest of that. Your pain is real and it will need some time to heal. I know that from experience. But I will ask you not to lose hope. I'm willing to bet you're not destined to go through life alone," he said squeezing her shoulder.

"There is one thing I'm going to insist on, though."

"What's that?" she asked, sniffing.

"You were undecided about coming home for James' birthday party. You need to be with family and friends so you are coming home with me tomorrow."

She leaned back from him and looked up with bleary eyes and said,

"Maybe you're right. It's not like I'd get a lot done if I was here. I'll talk to Professor Flitwick."

"No, I'll take care of that. Besides he's likely to be at the house this weekend working on the Tome," Harry said.

She gave him a weary smile and started to wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. Harry reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out, what he was glad to see, a clean handkerchief and handed it to her. She took it and started to blot her eyes and clean her face a bit. She blew her nose and began to hand it back to Harry and then stopped.

"I'll get it cleaned first," she said with a bit of a smile. "Would you mind if we sat here and talked a bit?"

"Not at all, what would you like to talk about?"

"It doesn't matter. You haven't told me much about your trip to Beauxbaton. How about we start there and see where it takes us," she replied.

As so they did, well into the evening. He talked and she listened, asking the occasional question and never relinquishing her hold on his hand. Much as she had suggested to Harry that evening in the library that he wrap himself in the love of his family, she did so now. It was a powerful medicine and by the time Harry walked her back to her dormitory the healing had begun.

Before he went to his own bed, he wrote a quick note and sent it off to Ginny by owl so she wouldn't be caught by surprise when Abagail arrived home. As he sat in his new room, lit by only a small candle, he thought about his ward's situation. He knew it would be very easy to be angry with Tom Medford but considering the unique situation that Abagail presented he thought he understood how the quiet, serious young man may not have been able to deal with it. He just hoped the Aurors wouldn't react too badly if and when they found out.

The next day went rather slowly for Harry as his concern for Abagail kept intruding on his work with his students. He saw her at lunch and the one time they made eye contact she gave him a wan little smile. So it was with profound relief that he found himself waiting in the entrance hall for Abagail to join him. She had left her school robe behind and was wearing a jacket appropriate to the early spring weather of the Highlands.

Their walk to the small house in Hogsmeade was short and the trip home even shorter. As they approached the rear door of the house, it swung open with Kreacher, as always, there to greet them. They were barely into the kitchen when they were met in a rush by Ginny, holding on to James. The now one year old had already begun to pull himself up on the furniture in preparation for his first steps but he still got carried around a lot.

Harry received a perfunctory kiss on the cheek and his son was pushed into his arms so that Ginny could direct her full attention to Abagail. Since Ginny was only marginally taller than the diminutive witch, she didn't completely engulf the girl but she did give her all in the attempt. Harry could hear murmured words and looked at his son who was regarding him with serious eyes.

"Perhaps we should leave your mother and sister alone for a bit. What say we go to your room and play for a while?" he said.

Harry began to walk towards the kitchen doorway that led to the main corridor when he heard Ginny say,

"Harry, I'm going to take Abagail up to her room and we'll have a bit of a talk. We'll see you at dinner, alright?"

"That's fine, luv. James and I have plans of our own."

He got a quick smile and continued on his way. He had to admit that despite his concerns for Abagail he did enjoy the time he spent with James. The boy spent a lot of time clawing his way up any piece of furniture he was near and he would stand on unsteady legs looking to his father as if to say 'see what I'm doing'. Harry noticed with interest that if James decided to take a few steps while holding on to something, anything near his feet would slide out of the way, apparently of its own volition. He wondered if this was an early manifestation of his son's magical ability or something else. He had his suspicions.

When Nibs came and called him to dinner, he had to admit he was surprised how fast the time had gone. Dinner was set out in the dining room, at one end of the long table. Abagail was sitting there, offering Harry a bit of a smile as he came in with James. She stood and walked up to him with her arms out. Harry held out his son and she took him and cuddled him close, her long hair enveloping him. Harry could hear the giggles from James. When she looked up her smile was larger and there was a hint of a twinkle in her eye. She walked over to the highchair that was next to Ginny and got James settled.

When they were all seated Nibs and Kreacher floated in the various platters and bowls and they began to eat. The conversation centered primarily on the upcoming birthday party. Nibs and Kreacher had been hard at it all week preparing various dishes and Angelina insisted on taking care of the birthday cake and desserts. This resulted in a three way dust up between her, Kreacher and Mrs. Weasley. It wasn't resolved until Mr. Weasley weighed in with the strong suggestion that Angelina be responsible for the cake itself with Kreacher and Mrs. Weasley contributing special items for the party at large. His observation that there would be more than enough people to eat whatever the three of them could create seemed to settle the matter.

Then the conversation moved to the Tome. Abagail was very interested in the way the book seemed to encompass so many phases of civilization and they speculated on what sorts of knowledge were hidden, waiting to be rediscovered. They talked about the impending release of the magical creatures book to be available in time for the new school year. Abagail had also mentioned that she had received a commission from the publisher to illustrate a new children's book over the summer. Willikins and Burbarry wanted to release it in time for Christmas.

"Looks like you have the start of a promising career, little one," Harry said.

"Could be, Harry," she replied. "I got a message from the people who built the house. They want to talk to me after I graduate."

"That's great. If you don't mind my saying so, I think these are the kinds of things you need to do. New situations, new people, new experiences."

"You might be right. I don't think hiding in my room, wallowing in artistic misery has much appeal," she replied. "Do you think I could get a look at the Tome?"

"Sure, although it has been taken apart but it's all there. We'll do it right after dinner."

And they did. As soon as Harry was finished cleaning up his second dessert they all made their way to the library. Ginny carried James over to the desk and set him on the floor where a small pile of toys had accumulated. She sat down and began to make some entries in her journal. Harry and Abagail moved to where the Tome sat of various shelves.

"Well, this is what we've been up to. Charlie was able it figure it out like I told you last night and now we can get down to business trying to sort it all out," he said.

Abagail let her eyes roam over the front and rear covers that occupied space originally set aside for the once intact book. She looked at the boxes that contained the various sections and looked at the labels. She looked at Harry and asked,

"Could I…?"

"Sure," he said.

He took down the largest box that held the most recent section, done in old English and some in more modern English and set it on a lower shelf. He lifted the cover and set it aside.

"We think this should yield more immediate results since we don't have to interpret it."

"Wow, this is amazing, Harry. And to think that this was written by Merlin himself," she said.

She reached out and let her hand come to rest on the first page and when she made contact her whole body stiffened. Harry noticed immediately.

"Abagail!"

He grabbed her arm and lifted it off the pile of parchment sheets. The little witch's body relaxed and she leaned into Harry for a moment. Ginny spun around in her chair.

"Harry, what it is it?"

Before he could answer Abagail said,

"Bloody hell," she said softly, the first time either Harry or Ginny had ever heard her swear. "That was amazing."

Harry walked her over to sit on the couch and he sat next to her, looking into the girl's stunned face.

"What was amazing? What happened?"

"It was like seeing a movie, but really, really fast. All those images, the history. I don't think he intended it that way, but I think with all his power he couldn't help but leave those kinds of traces behind. Right there in the parchment. I think the problem was it was all stacked together. Could I try just holding one sheet?"

Ginny was looking over from her place at the desk.

"Are you sure you're alright, sweetheart?"

"I think it will be ok. If Harry holds the sheet and I just put my hand on it, he can pull it away if it gets too bad."

Harry nodded and went and retrieved the top sheet of the old English portion of the Tome and carried it back to the couch. He sat down and held the paper in front of Abagail. She reached out and gently laid her right hand down on the sheet. Her eyes went soft as they did when she was 'reading' someone and after a moment she let out a gasp and pulled her hand away.

"What was it?" Harry asked, his voice full of concern.

"I saw a very elderly man sitting at a table, I think in a stone tower. He was writing on a sheet of parchment, this sheet, and after a bit he looked up, right at me, and smiled and nodded. I'd swear he knew it was me watching him," she said, looking at Harry with wide eyes. "How could he do that, across all those years?"

"I don't know, little one. But maybe we'll find out, in time. But no more 'exploring' for you tonight. You look like you need a good night's rest."

"I think you might be right. It's been a difficult week and tomorrow is going to be pretty hectic."

With parting hugs, Abagail left the library with Ginny and James alongside. Harry sat on the couch still holding the single sheet of parchment. He bought his hand to rest palm down on the page, but he felt nothing. He shook his head, then stood up and replaced the sheet in its box. He looked at the others arrayed on the shelves and thought to himself,

"What other surprises do you have in store for us, ancient one?"

Fortunately there turned out to be none for the remainder of the weekend. The entire household was up early to prepare for the big day. Guests were expected to begin arriving at one o'clock but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived almost as soon as the sun had separated from the horizon. The first item on the agenda was a complete breakfast. Afterwards Mr. Weasley left to collect Fleur, Bill and Victoire. Fleur was getting very close but insisted on being at the party.

There were no plans for lunch, just a constant grazing from platters and bowls that would be located in the kitchen, living room and dining room. It was also expected that there would be a fair amount of outdoor activity as the day promised to be a fair one.

Harry did his best to make himself useful but by mid morning it was clear his inputs weren't exactly required so he decided to pull all the Quidditch gear out of the closet under the stairs and move it outside. Shortly afterwards, Abagail drifted outside and lent Harry a hand running a polishing cloth over the broom handles and checking for any bent or broken bristles. They worked in silence for a while until Harry asked,

"How are you feeling this morning, little one?"

"Oh, not too terrible, Harry," she said with a faint smile. "I'll get over it in time, I'm sure. The timing could have been better though. I hope I don't put a damper on the day."

"I wouldn't think so, at least not too much. My guess is though you'll get a lot of attention from some of the ladies," Harry said with a smirk. "Plus lots of advice."

"Especially from a certain blue-eyed blonde?"

"Especially," Harry answered with a laugh. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that Gabrielle is going to be staying with Fleur and Bill this summer, helping out with the new baby. I think you can expect to see her here a fair amount."

"Oh, that will be great. We can do girl stuff together."

It was around noon and the two were still puttering about with the brooms and such when two pops announced the arrival of George and Angelina. George had little Fred in a pack on his back and Angelina had her arms full of bakery boxes. Abagail gave out a little squeal and ran down the walkway to meet them, giving hugs as best she could and then relieving Angelina of most of her burden. Harry followed along more slowly, smiling.

"Welcome," he said, shaking hands with George and getting a one armed but still very tight hug from his 'sister'.

He relieved her of her last box, but with a warning not to touch what was inside. Angelina then released her son from the snug confines of the back pack. Harry led them up to the door and they were met by Ginny, who had been alerted when Abagail carried the boxes in ahead of the rest. Harry elected to remain outside and away from the growing commotion.

As the one o'clock hour approached, he was lounging on the steps of the portico, enjoying the early spring sun on his face. So it was that he didn't hear the approach of soft, small footsteps and he was unprepared for the rush of the near three year old who wound up with her arms around his neck.

"H'llo, Uncle 'arry," Victoire said loudly in his ear.

"Hey there, you. How did you get here?" already knowing the answer

"Granddads cah, Uncle 'arry."

Harry heard laughter in a deeper voice.

"When she saw you out here by yourself, she wanted to surprise you." Bill said.

"That she did. She hit pretty hard, too, she might grow up to be a rugger," Harry said with a laugh as he pulled his niece around for a proper hug.

"I know what you mean. She's turning it into a game. I get ambushed on a fairly regular basis these days."

Harry looked past Bill expectantly but his brother shook his head.

"Afraid you'll have to wait. She's moving slowly these days. Dad's coming along with her."

A few minutes later, the very pregnant Fleur appeared from the path coming out of the woods from the small car park. Mr. Weasley held her by the arm. As they reached Harry and Bill she placed a perfunctory kiss on Harry's cheek and with a sheepish grin said,

"That weell 'ave to do for the moment, mon frere. After that long ride I 'ave a presseeng need to attend to."

Harry realized what she meant and said,

"Down the corridor to the left of the main doors, second door on the right."

She laughed that silvery little laugh of hers and kept walking, the door swinging open as Kreacher bowed them in. Bill looked at Harry and laughed a bit.

"I tried to convince her it would be alright if she didn't make this party, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's due any day now. I hope you have a guest room handy."

"If it's that close you know you're all welcome to stay right here," Harry said earnestly.

Bill smiled and clapped Harry on the shoulder and reclaimed his daughter, after promises that she could come back out to be with her uncle once she said hello to everyone in the house. More people began to arrive and it wasn't long before the house was full of conversation. As predicted once word got around about Abagail's predicament she was the focus of much attention from the other women of the family. For the most part the men chose to stay out of it, the lone exception being Mr. Weasley, who as patriarch, and being more than a little partial to his fellow tinkerer and 'adoptive' granddaughter, offered a simple observation.

"You're young, you're brilliant and you're an absolute stunner. Life has many wonderful things in store for you, just be patient."

Her face went absolutely red to the roots of her dark hair but her smile could have lit up the vault caverns under Gringotts. It also wasn't long before the clear blue sky and the open space above the meadow proved too much of an allure and the brooms from Harry's stockpile were soon zipping above the new green grass. Since there were more flyers than brooms there was a significant amount of changing up going on. Ted arrived with his grandmother not too long after the flying had begun and since Abagail wasn't much in the mood he got to spend a great deal of time on her cut down speedster. He was showing a great deal of potential.

To Harry's surprise it was well past mid afternoon, as he was standing watching Charlie put his Firebolt through its paces that he picked up on that telltale fragrance.

"Hello, Fleur. I was beginning to think you forgot about me," he said without turning.

"Ah, never, mon frère. Theese time someone else needed my attention first, yes?" she said as she hooked Harry's arm with hers.

"Yes, indeed. And I'm glad you're here for her. It's been a rough week."

"But now eet ees time for you to do your duty," she said as she pulled him gently around to face her.

Harry smiled as he saw those brilliant blue eyes regarding him with motherly concern, as usual. He could tell there was no detail about him that would go unnoticed. He stepped forward and they wrapped each other in a tight embrace. Then he received his three kisses, to the cheeks and forehead and she stepped back, holding on to both his hands with hers.

"And 'ow are you, mon frere?" she asked. "You 'ave been through a great deal these past weeks, and now with Abagail."

"I'm doing alright, Fleur. Although I have to admit I'm looking forward to the summer," and having said it he was reminded of the situation with Gabrielle. "I'm hoping we'll be able to help your sister."

Fleur looked at him with a sad smile. She took hold of one arm with both her hands.

"You take so much upon yourself, chere. You need do notheeng more than be 'oo you are and that weell be of great 'elp. Now, you can 'elp me back to the 'ouse."

Harry laughed a bit and took her by the arm and helped Fleur back up the path to the house. Once inside, Harry could see that indeed Abagail was engaged in conversation with Hermione, El and Audrey. She looked up at him and gave him a shy smile and a small nod. Harry was confident that the healing power of this remarkable family was working its magic on the sensitive young witch. He knew from personal experience just how powerful a magic it was.

As one might expect, a birthday party for a one year old doesn't have much impact on the guest of honor. In fact, James spent a fair amount of time napping alongside his cousin Fred. Victoire started to fade later in the afternoon but refused to join her two younger cousins so Harry wound up with his niece curled up on the couch next to him, her head resting on his lap.

The presents for James consisted largely of clothes and soft toys. James had discovered the fun of tossing his toys about and no one wanted to put a hard projectile in his hands that might do damage to the house or its furnishings. Once all the presents had been offered and opened, smalls groups congregated in different sections of the house and grounds. The wizards chess board was getting a good workout, primarily from Ron and Audrey, but Eleanor and Mr. Granger took their turns as well.

Bill split his time between keeping an eye on his wife and taking turns on a broom over the meadow. Fleur had recaptured Abagail's attention and they sat on a couch in the living room, talking quietly. Harry was carrying in a plate from the buffet arrangement in the kitchen for Fleur when she suddenly looked up with wide eyes and said to no one in particular,

"Ooo."

"What is it, Fleur?" Harry said, suddenly very alert.

"Um, eet may just 'ave been a strong kick ees all," she replied.

"Are you sure? Should I go get, Bill?"

By this time the tenor of the conversation had attracted the attention of the others in the room.

"What is it?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Fleur felt something," Harry said.

"Are you alright, dear?"

"I theenk so, muum. Maybe we should be goeeng."

"Oh, no, you don't," Harry said sternly. "You stay right there until we know what's going on. And if it turns out to be…well, you know, they you are most definitely staying right here."

"'arry, eef the baby ees comeeng then we should be 'ome," she said.

"You are home. Where you are safe and I don't think Dad would be able to do much for you in the Popular if it happens fast," Harry replied, sounding much like he did when he was Chief.

Fleur looked at him intently. The others thought she was getting ready to argue with him but then she said,

"Alright, mon ami. Eef you say so. Per'aps someone should call Beell een."

Harry smiled and with a nod went to get his brother. If was a good thing Harry had been so insistent, for indeed Fleur was going into labor. And it unfolded quickly. Charlie made a quick trip to bring the midwife and it was just shortly after midnight that Fleur gave birth to a baby girl, Dominque. No one had left until they were sure that mother and child were well. James, Fred and Victoire were sharing James nursery, everyone else was either in the living room or the library. The house elves were kept busy keeping the buffet going. It was close to two in the morning when Bill found Harry sitting in the living room, idling nibbling on some cheese, staring off into space. He heard, or sensed Bill watching him from the entrance way. He looked up.

"You're presence has been requested," Bill said with a smile.

"Requested?" Harry replied.

"Alright, commanded," Bill corrected with a small laugh.

Harry got up and walked with Bill upstairs to the guest room that had done duty as a delivery room. Bill swung the door in quietly. Harry could see Fleur lying in bed, the baby cradled in her arms. It was obvious, despite the brevity of the delivery, that the mother was still tired. She looked at him and smiled,

"Come see your niece, 'arry."

Harry walked over to the side of the bed and looked down at the sleeping infant.

"She's beautiful, just like her mother," he said.

"You are such a charmer, mon frere. I 'ave a favor to ask of you, 'arry."

"Anything."

Bill had come over to sit in the only chair in the room that was drawn up next to the bed opposite from where Harry was standing.

"Beell and I 'ave been talkeeng. We would like for you and Geeny to be Dominque's godparents."

"I'd be honored and I'm sure that Ginny will be, too," Harry replied seriously.

"She said so earlier, but we know how seriously you take the subject of family so we didn't' want to take it for granted, Harry," Bill said. "And there's something else."

Harry regarded them with raised eyebrows.

"In the event that something should happen to the both of us, we'd like you and Gin to be the legal guardians of our children."

"What? What about your brothers?" he asked, amazed.

"Harry, you are my brother. And down the hall there is a young lady who is a living breathing example of just how well you can do it. Besides, can you imagine Victoire with anyone else?" Bill said with a small smile.

Harry stood silently for a moment and then nodded briefly. He gave Fleur a kiss on the cheek and reached across to shake hands with Bill. He left the room and walked downstairs. On a whim he made his way to James' nursery and quietly opened the door. The first thing he saw was the two boys sharing the crib and Victoire curled up on a small cot that had been brought in from somewhere. The other thing he saw was much more of a surprise, but then again it wasn't.

Sitting on the rocking chair that Ginny used to rock James to sleep when he was feeling fussy was the image of Lily Potter, watching over her grandchild and the others. She looked up at her son and motioned for him to enter. He carefully approached the ethereal image that was holding out her hand. He reached out and felt a tingle of sorts as the translucent fingers closed on his. Unlike when they met in that place between life and death there was no verbal communication. At this moment in time, there was no need.


	11. Chapter 11

Professor Potter, Chapter 11

Harry was sitting on a bench outside the Hogwarts castle, overlooking the lake. The early May sun was still warm on his face even this late in the day. It was Thursday afternoon and he had time between his last afternoon class and dinner to just sit and enjoy the fine weather. The previous month had been a busy one and it was nice to just take some time and do nothing much of anything. The most momentous event had come early, that is the birth of Dominique Weasley, which took place at the Potter home because Fleur went into labor while there for James' first birthday party.

Harry had to smile to himself as he thought of the days that followed. Ginny and the house elves pampered the new mother and baby outrageously and before leaving three days later to be driven back to Shell Cottage by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fleur said she would highly recommend Meadow Crest to any expectant mother. She got serious then and thanked Harry and Ginny profusely for taking such good care of her and her new daughter and for all the attention that Victoire was given, especially when her 'uncle 'arry' was home.

There were several other interesting events that followed. Harry had to laugh to himself when he thought about a particular incident that occurred late that first Sunday afternoon. Despite what had occurred upstairs with the birth, the lingering well wishers and just general family chaos, the scholars carried on in the basement. Harry was in the library playing a friendly game of wizards chess with Abagail. Well, it was friendly between them; the pieces were going at each other with their usual hyper-antagonism. They were interrupted by a respectful knock on the door frame.

"Master Harry, Professor Vector wishes to speak with Master Harry, please," Kreacher said.

"Of course, Kreacher, please show him in."

The little house elf stepped back and with a bow gestured for the Arithmancy Professor to enter the library. Professor Vector was followed by a young man of medium height and slender build. Harry recognized him immediately as Angus MacAskill. He was surprised that the youngster wasn't taller, Harry remembered him being at least a few inches taller than anyone in that class of first years. Now he was perhaps only an inch or so taller than Harry.

"My apologies for interrupting your leisure time, Harry, I understand it's been a hectic weekend for you."

"No apologies need, Professor. Yes, it's been a bit busy but things seem to have calmed down," Harry replied.

"Very nice to see you, Miss Westwood," the older wizard said, looking at Abagail.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," she replied.

"Harry, I wanted to bring young MacAskill along. I know you remember him from your seventh year but I thought it wise to renew the acquaintance, considering the amount of time he might be spending here."

"That's a great idea, Professor," Harry said as he turned his attention to the student. "It's good to see you again, Mr. MacAskill."

"Sir," the young wizard replied in a deep but quiet voice.

"Hello, Angus. It's nice to see you again," Abagail offered to her schoolmate.

Harry noticed the boy had been studiously avoiding looking at Abagail from the moment he entered the library. At the girl's direct greeting he was compelled to look at her, his nervousness obvious. All he could respond with was a barely audible,

"'lo."

Professor Vector caught Harry's eye and his expression was a mix of mild exasperation and some resigned humor. Harry tried hard not to smile.

"So, can you tell me anything new, Professor?" Harry asked, gesturing to the empty chairs near the chessboard.

The professor nodded to Angus to take a chair. The boy seemed to hesitate, since either chair would put him next to Abagail. Professor Vector shook his head and said,

"That one will do, Angus."

The young man slid into the chair directly in front of him while his teacher moved around to take the one opposite. Harry watched as the boy made a determined study of the chess pieces. Harry looked across at Abagail who raised her eyebrows a bit.

"Well, I can tell you what isn't new, Harry. We've yet to identify in any way the earliest pictograms. That don't resemble anything we can find from North Africa or the Middle East. We're starting to look at early Asian civilizations but I'm not hopeful. It may be that our friend created them himself, for his own purposes. You're sure he said that there was some sort of key included?"

"Yes, Professor. I'm sure that's what he said. I just have no idea what exactly he meant."

"It sounds like you need a Rosetta stone," Abagail said in her breathless voice.

"A what?" asked Professor Vector.

"The Rosetta Stone," Harry said, "was a stone tablet found by the French in the Egyptian desert around two hundred years ago. It had writing on it in old hieroglyphs, a newer Egyptian script and in Greek, if I recall right. It took a while but someone figured out that it was the same writing in the three different languages. It allowed scholars to decipher the ancient hieroglyphs for the first time. It was quite a breakthrough."

"That being the case, the young lady is very correct. That's exactly what we need," Professor Vector. "What do you think, Angus, any chance that something like that exists in all that writing?"

The boy shrugged and then cast a sidelong glance at Abagail.

"Have tae look," he said in what sounded like a heavy Scottish burr.

"Well, young lady, you've given us something to look for at least, not to mention getting this young fellow to string three words together," the Professor said with a small smile.

Angus' eyes immediately fell to the chessboard. Abagail's eyes went wide and she blushed a bit.

"Well, we won't keep you from your game. I know how fractious wizards chess pieces can get. We'll see what kind of Rose stone, or whatever you call it, we can find. Come along, Angus, time we headed back to Hogwarts."

"Sir," Angus replied as he stood up and gave Harry a brief nod and an even briefer one to Abagail.

They both watched as the teacher and student walked toward the door, Professor Vector going through first. Angus hesitated and then without looking directly back said over his shoulder,

"White king's knight tae B6," and then he disappeared through the doorway.

Harry and Abagail looked at each other and then down at the board. Harry realized that with that move on Abagail's part, he was done in three more moves. He looked at his ward and then tipped over the black king, much to its annoyance. Abagail giggled then laughed, Harry only shook his head.

Mr. Weasley took it upon himself to deal with the construction of the strong room adjacent to where the Study Group was working in the basement. The excavation for the foundation of the house had unearthed a fair amount of field stone. Since they didn't match the color that the architects had picked out for the house itself they were piled in a back corner of the property for future projects. Arthur found willing assistants in the two younger house elves, who spent a portion of their day levitating stones into the basement, where the elder Weasley, with occasional assists from his sons constructed a stout, if not particularly spacious room. He then built some shelves to place the various boxes of the Tome sections as well as space to place translations when they became available. If was near the end of April before he was finished but the end result was sturdy, secure, and managed to look as if it was part of the original construction.

The Quidditch park in Derbyshire was receiving its own intense attention. In the week that followed the meeting at Harry's home, the folks from QUABBLE had acquired a copy of an old tax map that clearly showed the outlines of the property and where the boundary markers should be located. While not the largest parcel of land in the county it wasn't too far off and it was clear that four pitches and the general purpose building would only occupy a portion of the land.

With map in hand a crew had located the markers, some of which had to be freed of decades, if not more, of overgrowth. Most of the field stone house that had been collapsed on top of the smugglers was just pushed into the basement and then dirt was graded over the top. The remaining stone was used to make some repairs to the foundation of the barn. The wooden structure of the barn was demolished. Some inroads were also made on erasing any traces of the bunker and a plan was drawn up to seal off the caves. It was anticipated that there would be a number of children about the place once matches began and children are drawn to holes in the ground like moths are drawn to a flame, with equal potential for disaster.

By the end of the second week, sites for the pitches had been selected, the appropriate spells applied and the goal rings at each end erected. As discussed, no permanent grandstands of any kind were to be built. This was to be a flyers facility and the spectators would be encouraged to provide their own, picnic-like experience. Harry was invited to see the progress on the second Saturday after the birthday party and he was amazed at what had been accomplished. Not affected by the concealment spells, he could see the goal hoops on their tall poles. Since there were no stands to hide, the effect of the concealment spell was to fool the muggle eye into seeing stately old trees clustered here and there on the property.

He was pleased to see that the old stone house was nowhere to be seen and the bunker had been demolished and covered over. Workers were still in the process of filling in the entrances to the tunnels with rubble. With the actual barn gone, the foundation looked rather expansive. Dunbar Oglethorpe walked him around on the stone expanse, showing the lines that had been drawn to show where various facilities might be placed. The final design of the general purpose building was still being discussed.

Harry was very pleased with what he was seeing and said so. Oglethorpe indicated they expected to have the facility up and running by mid-May, mostly due to the need to set up the system for reserving the pitches, advertising and the like. Harry told him he was looking forward to seeing the facility in use. He then Disapparated home. It was near lunchtime so he found Ginny in the kitchen with James waiting for him.

"So, how's it coming along, sweetheart?" Ginny asked.

"Very well. They're much further along than I would have thought. About the only thing left is the building they've been talking about. Oglethorpe said they needed some time to set up the administration stuff but they hoped to have the pitches available by the middle of May."

"That's terrific, Harry. I know you might be a little tired today, but would you be interested in taking a trip to Diagon Alley. I need to look for a few things and it would be nice for James to get out and about.

"Sure, that should be great. I'm not all that tired and we haven't had an outing of any kind for quite a while now. It's good that James is old enough to be able to travel with us."

"Thank you, sweetheart. We can go as soon as we are done with lunch," Ginny said with a smile.

"Um, aren't we supposed to wait an hour or something?"

"That's for swimming, Harry," she said, looking at his completely deadpanned expression. "Bloody dragon," she muttered almost to herself.

Once lunch was done and James was dressed appropriately for an outing, the three Disapparated from the front porch to Harry's favorite spot near Gringotts. Since adequate funds were in hand they skipped going to the bank and headed out into the Saturday afternoon crowd. There were a number of greetings, some shouted from across the Alley. They spent a pleasant afternoon walking from shop to shop, picking up the few things they both needed, spent some time talking with George at the joke shop and had a light desert with Angelina.

James was showing remarkable patience and resiliency, particularly with the number of strange faces he had to endure mere inches from his nose, so they decided on an early supper at the Cauldron. Hannah was ecstatic to see them, and since it was a Saturday, Neville was called down and told to bring Alice with him. As Harry sat on the bench looking at the lake he had to smile at the memory of that happy afternoon.

With his smile still intact he roused himself from the bench and made his way back into the castle for dinner. The improving weather did war with the specter of year end exams and the weather won. He could see that many of the students had either been to Hogsmeade, the morning's Quidditch match, or apparently in most cases, both. They were a tired but happy looking bunch.

As he took his place at the faculty table he looked out to see if Abagail was there yet. She was and it appeared from the look on her face that her mood was improving as well. She looked up and gave Harry a small wave and nod which he returned. While it was evident that she was still troubled by the situation with Tom, it looked to Harry that she was starting to put it behind her and moving on.

"Hullo there, Harry, how are ya?"

"I'm doing fine, Hagrid, how are you?" Harry replied.

"Ya know, Harry, I'm sorry I couldna make the party fer young James, but I'm workin' on a present fer 'im. I don't think it'll be ready fer another month or so."

"That's alright, Hagrid. I know it can be tricky for you to travel sometimes. Anytime you're ready, just let me know," Harry said.

"Cheers, Harry."

As their conversation was ending, Bill Weasley came up to his place at the table. He was looking a little bleary eyed.

"Hello, Harry, Hagrid."

"Hiya, Bill," Harry replied. "How are things going? You look like your not getting much sleep."

"That's because I'm not. I've been home most nights to help Fleur. Mum comes out during the day and that helps, but I'm on night duty."

"Youngun's need lots of care, human or othawise," Hagrid said knowingly. "Don't know how ya dads manage it."

"Oh, come on now, Hagrid," Harry began. "I've known you to stay up around the clock to care for a sick creature. You spend days and weeks and months to make sure your animals are healthy. You've spent more time caring for your 'younguns' than any three dads I could name."

Hagrid didn't reply but there was an embarrassed smile behind that big, bushy beard and a twinkle in those beetle black eyes. Bill laughed a bit and then pulled something out of his pocket. It was a copy of the Prophet.

"Was wondering if you saw this, Harry," he said as he laid the paper down on the table in front of his younger brother. "Turn to the sports page."

Harry flipped over a few pages and came to a large headline across the top of the page.

'PUBLIC QUIDDITCH PITCHES TO OPEN SOON'

Below the headline was an article describing the completed pitches, the planned 'general purpose' building and the procedures for reserving time as well as the availability of the first-come-first-served pitch. According to the article the QUABBLE folks were managing the operation of the facility but they paid full compliments to the anonymous benefactor who donated the use of the land. Harry had to smile a bit at that part.

"It's amazing how this has moved so quickly, Bill. I fully expected it wouldn't happen until next year," Harry said.

"Well, I think a couple of things helped push it along, Harry. The first was that the folks at QUABBLE had been banging their heads against the wall that was the old Sports office at the Ministry for so long that once they saw an opening with the old Head leaving they jumped at the chance. The second is I think they were anxious to get the chance to play themselves. What you've got going up there is pretty much unique, Harry. A public, family oriented Quidditch park. I got an owl from Dunbar this morning. He said as soon as this edition hit the streets the other day, they've been inundated with messages."

"So when do we get our team together?" Harry asked.

"Funny you should mention that, Harry. El and Charlie are already working on it," Bill said with a laugh.

Harry finished his dinner a while later in a decidedly good mood. He took his place at the Gryffindor table and began going through his notes on where he thought his classes stood in terms of readiness for the year end exams. A few students stopped by to ask some questions. While he was sitting by himself during a lull, a medium sized barn owl swooped in and dropped a note on the table in front of him. He picked up the folded parchment. It had a Ministry seal pressed in the wax. He opened it.

It was from the new head of the Sports Office informing Harry that contact had been made on his behalf with Viktor Krum and Harry was encouraged to see that Viktor would be happy to hear from him. Viktor was the captain of the Vratsa Vultures Quidditch team and an address was provided where he could be reached. He'd dispatch a message as soon as he got home the next night. The issue with Durmstrang was a constant little itch in the back of his mind and the sooner he found something out the better he'd like it.

That night as he slept in his new room the dragon rode the still night air around Hogwarts, alert and searching. It was a testament to his concern that he remembered the dream in its entirety the next morning. That afternoon before leaving for home he checked one last time with Abagail who, much to her credit, didn't give the typical teenage response pointing out she was a big girl and he was worrying too much. Instead she thanked him for his concern, assured him she was doing fine and with the busy weekend ahead getting ready for her NEWTs she wouldn't have much time to think about it. With parting hugs Harry was on his way home.

On the following morning, as the pattern had developed, members of the Study Group began to arrive around ten o'clock. They would arrive at the rear door via the Floo Network. Harry wasn't sure what fireplace they were using at the other end but he had a feeling that it was Professor McGonagall's doing. By coming to the door to the mudroom they had immediate access to the basement, thereby avoiding having the academics traipsing through the house if they came to the front door.

It was around mid afternoon when a breakthrough of sorts was made and Dinkle appeared at Harry's side while he sat in the grass in front of the house, playing with James. Ginny asked for some quiet time so she could work on some notes that Charlie had provided for his dragons book.

"Master Harry, Professor Vector asks if Master Harry can come to the basement."

"Sure, Dinkle, I'll be right there. Um, isn't it a little soon for you to be up and about?" Harry asked.

"Dinkle's day begins at the noon hour on the weekends, Master Harry. Dinkle is needed to help the Professors sometimes."

"Oh, I see. Alright, well I'll be right there," he told the elf, who disappeared. "Well, James. Let's take a look at what they've come up with."

Although not speaking intelligibly, James was getting to be very vocal and what came out in reply to Harry's comments sounded positive enough to be taken as a 'yes'. Harry scooped up his son and carried him into the house and down into the now well lit basement. He found Professor Vector and Angus huddled over a table. Professors Sprout and Slughorn were likewise engrossed in sheets laid out before them on separate desks.

"Ah, there you are, Harry," Professor Vector began. "Come take a look at this."

"Good afternoon, Professor. Hello there, Angus," Harry offered as he walked up to the table.

"Sir," was all that Angus offered in return.

"It seems that Miss Westwood had the right of it after all, Harry. That idea of hers with that stone thing looks to be the key. Look here," the Arithmancy Professor said enthusiastically. "Angus began looking for patterns in the symbols. In particular, between the last pages of the pictograms and the first pages of the Greek here. These sheets here are copies and as you can see with his circling and underlining that distinct matching patterns develop. We feel confident that this is what Merlin meant. We have a fair piece left to go but I think we've cracked this part of it."

"That's great news, Professor, Angus, congratulations. I'd offer to shake hands but I'm a little encumbered at the moment."

Before Professor Vector could respond, Professor Slughorn cleared his throat meaningfully and said,

"Harry, my boy, a moment of your time, if you would."

"One moment, Professor," Harry said, shifting the now slightly impatient James around. "Sorry, son, but this isn't the place for you to be down and roaming."

Without a word, Angus shifted in his chair and held up both hands towards James. The toddler responded with outstretched arms of his own. Harry's eyebrows went up.

"Nae worries, little brothers," Angus said by way of explanation.

Harry handed James over and Angus settled him on his lap, supported by one arm around his back. He began to show him the pages with the copied symbols. Harry looked at Professor Vector and shrugged then walked over to see what the potions teacher had for him.

"Your friend was something a sly fellow, Harry. The section in the plainest English contains mostly philosophical musings and those treatises that you mentioned originally. Nothing very specific. He wants to make sure that we work for the treasures he offers. But we have dug out a few interesting delicacies from the section in Old English. He makes reference to some very interesting plants that has Professor Sprout very excited and a formula for a potion he claims has significant curative properties where what we would call infections are concerned. I have to research some of the ingredients for I feel the naming has changed for a few of them."

"That's great, Professor. And I think you're absolutely right. We're going to have to dig through a lot of dirt to find the diamonds, but I'm pretty sure it'll be worth it," Harry replied.

"As do I, my boy, as do I."

Harry spent some time going over his father's handiwork with the strong room and took a look at some of the things Professor Slughorn had mentioned, in large part because James seemed to be having a good time. No words passed between him and Angus but the little boy seemed very intrigued by the symbols on the pages and Angus seemed content to show them to him. Finally Harry moved over and said,

"Well, James, what do you say we leave these folks to their work and we go see how your mother is getting on?"

When Harry first started talking his son looked a bit annoyed at being interrupted but at the mention of the word mother he brightened up and lifted his arms up for Harry to pick him up.

"Thank you, Angus, I appreciate you taking the time with my son."

Angus shrugged a bit and said,

"Sir."

Harry nodded and with a parting word to Professor Vector he climbed up the stairs to the kitchen. When they entered the library, Ginny looked back over her shoulder and said,

"Well, there's my two favorite boys. What have you been up to?"

"We were outside playing on the lawn and then we got a call to see what was going on in the study chamber," Harry said, using a phrase Ginny had originated a week or so before. "It appears they may have come up with the key that Merlin referred to. It's pretty preliminary but it's cause for hope."

"That's wonderful, Harry."

"Yes, it is. And Professors Sprout and Slughorn may have pulled something out of the Old English portion that may prove useful, so it's been a good day. Something else interesting happened, though."

He went on to explain the interaction between James and Angus. Ginny had a soft smile when Harry was finished.

"That is so sweet. He seemed to be a nice enough boy but so withdrawn. It's nice to see he can relate to James that way."

Harry had been walking with James, holding the boy's two hands as they both walked across the library floor. Ginny got up to meet them. She swept her son up and gave him a big hug and wet kiss on his cheek that got the boy giggling. Then she looked at Harry, her face thoughtful.

"You know, sweetheart, I'm beginning to worry a bit about what goes on down there."

"Why, what's wrong, are they disturbing you somehow?" Harry asked, concerned.

"No, no, it's not that. In fact, if I didn't already know, I'd hardly realize they were even there. It's just that with teaching all week and then coming here on weekends, spending hours down there. I mean they aren't exactly young men and women, Harry. I'm worried they might be overworking themselves," she finished as she sat down on the couch with James in her lap.

"Hmm, I can see where you might think that. So far from what I've seen they couldn't be happier. I've seen them in some pretty animated conversations at school, passing papers back and forth. But I understand your concern. Maybe I should mention it to Professor McGonagall," Harry said, his face serious.

"I hope you don't mind, Harry," Ginny continued. "But I thought tomorrow, who's ever here, I'd invite them up to have lunch, at say one o'clock."

"That would be very nice, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. To be honest I don't know what they've been doing about food when they're here."

"Oh, that's easy, sweetheart," Ginny said, "Nibs has been bringing them down a platter early in the afternoon, light snacks and such. Apparently, since he fed them when he was at Hogwarts, he still feels obligated to do so here."

"Ah, well, that's something to keep them going at least."

Just before dinner, Harry got a message by owl. Kreacher carried it in to the library where he was reading a book. James was having a nap and Ginny was back at the desk, working. Harry opened the folded parchment and read the message.

"Well, well, well," he began. "This is from Charlie. It seems that the Goblins have found something under the Ministry after all."

"What did they find, Harry?"

"They found what they believe is the way someone, probably Quirrell with Voldemort along for the ride, got into the vault caverns under Gringotts at the beginning of my first year. Charlie says they found a passage that leads between the two sections. The openings are disguised on both ends with spells that makes it look like the surrounding rock. On the Ministry side some real rock fell away from the edges around the opening, but the illusion remained the same. It stood right out. He says they must have gone past it a dozen times before but never noticed anything until the edges crumbled. Well, that's one mystery solved."

"What do you think they'll do now, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Dunno, love. I suppose Gringotts could use it to expand the vault cavern but they'd still have to seal up the entranceways from the Ministry. Guess it depends on if they need the space and if they can work something out with the Ministry."

"I wonder if they'll figure out about the space where Merlin was," she mused.

"I wouldn't make any wagers on that one, love. Merlin was so far ahead of Voldemort, I can't even begin to imagine what kind of magic created that place."

"Maybe you'll find it in his book."

Harry didn't reply beyond a nod. He wondered then as he often did, if the world was ready for what might be contained in that book.

As promised, the following afternoon, with some significant persuasion on Ginny's part, the researchers were sitting around one end of the big dining room table, making significant inroads on an excellent lunch. Professor McGonagall put in an appearance that morning, eager to see what young Angus was making of the pictogram key, so she was seated at the table. She looked over at Harry and Ginny and said,

"I hope we aren't becoming a bother to you two."

"Of course not, Professor," Harry replied. "If I recall, I invited all of you to be part of this so I can hardly find your being here a bother. Besides, this is Ginny's way of making sure you all get to take a break and have a decent meal. She's worried your overworking yourselves between school and the time you spend here."

"Your concern for our welfare is very commendable, Mrs. Potter," Professor Slughorn said with a wink. "Quite frankly, I haven't had this much fun in years. Reminds me of my early days, investigating the intricacies of complex potions. That's one of the dangers of being a teacher for a long time, Harry. You keep going over the same things time and time again, you get a bit dull and rusty. If I'm not mistaken, if the summer goes the way I think it might, the Head is going to have her hands full with some very energized Professors come next term."

"As long as it's not the result of some new potion you find in that book, I'll not mind in the least," the Headmistress said with a small smile.

This got a laugh from everyone around the table except James, who didn't understand what was said, and Angus who on the one hand wasn't inclined to laugh around anyone, particularly a group of Professors and on the other because he was paying most of his attention to James. Ginny's curiosity got the better of her so when she set the seating up she put Angus next to James on the side opposite from her. For most of the meal, James would take some item of food from his plate and hand it to the boy who would accept it with due solemnity and put it on the edge of his own plate. After a bit of time had passed James would hold out his hand and just as solemnly Angus would hand it back. Harry had watched the byplay without being too obvious about it, getting a wink from Ginny the one time their eyes met.

After the meal, the researchers departed for the basement with many words of thanks. Ginny and Harry stayed behind, cleaning up James' eating area.

"That was pretty interesting don't you think, Harry?"

"If you're referring to Angus and James, yes it was. He mentioned something about little brothers after all, so I guess he's got some experience dealing with them. It would be nice to see him smile once in a while, though. Makes you wonder what's going on inside his head."

Ginny simply nodded.

In the weeks that followed Harry found himself busy getting his students prepped for their exams. His DADA and Transfiguration students were deep into their subjects while his Applied Magic fifth and seventh years were peppering him with questions to help them with their OWLs or NEWTs in the related subjects. The Applied Magic format had made Harry an alternate and often more accessible source of help as the studying intensified. Abagail, too, was under some pressure since she had her own NEWTs to prep for and she too was being bombarded with pleas for help from her classmates. Harry often wondered if any of those she was helping really understood what an amazing individual she was or were they just using her as a resource for their own success. He remembered what she had told him about what she was seeing when she decided to 'look' at the students around her.

He thought she was going to need some serious relaxation once school was over. An idea occurred to him and the more he thought about it the more he liked it. One significant occurrence took place late in the week following the Sunday lunch with the researchers. He was just sitting down at the end of the Gryffindor table when his big owl came to rest in front of him. He was looking decidedly tired. Harry removed a good sized parchment roll from the offered leg. He offered some water from a cup he had brought down from the faculty table with him and the bird gulped it gratefully. With a soft hoot and flap of large wings the owl lifted off and headed for the school owlry for a much need nap.

Harry unrolled the parchment and read the message that Viktor had sent in reply to his inquiry about anything he knew about recent events at Durmstrang. In fact, Viktor was aware that all was not well at his Alma Mater. He was personally aware that a not a single credible flyer had been graduated in three years and there was serious concerns that Eastern European countries might soon face a talent shortage for professional and national teams. In addition, many families were complaining that the education their children were receiving was falling well below standard and that is why many were choosing to go to Beauxbaton. There was even talk about setting up a new academy, perhaps in the Transylvania region or along the Black Sea.

The next part caused Harry some real concern. Viktor intimated that while there was no hard evidence, there were quite a few rumors suggesting that the Dark Arts were taking up a much greater portion of the academic workload and some very odd things were being seen and heard in and around the property of the school. Harry was beginning to think some form of reconnaissance might be needed. He was still waiting to hear about what information Milligan might be able to come up with but he had a feeling it wasn't going to be good news.


	12. Chapter 12

Professor Potter, Chapter 12

"Good grief, Harry. I never thought I'd say this but if I ever have to take another exam I think I'll go hide in a cave somewhere."

This unexpected statement was made by Abagail Westwood, top student in her class and a witch of formidable physic abilities. She had made her way to the Great Hall of Hogwarts to find Harry sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table going through some papers. She had dropped down onto the bench, her back leaning against the edge of the table. It was apparent that the week of NEWTs had taken their toll on the diminutive girl. She had just finished her DADA exam and the amount of physical exertion had drained her.

"What's the matter, little one? Put you through the mill, did they?" Harry said with a small grin.

She looked at her guardian with a weak smile and shook her head a bit.

"You know, Harry, I've found many reasons to admire you over the years," she said in her breathy voice. "But after this week, knowing what you've been through over the years and the injuries and the exertion, I don't know how you ever managed it."

Harry couldn't help but shrug and say,

"I just did what I had to do, Abagail. I couldn't begin to explain how I was able to get through it all. I've often thought about it but I've never found an answer. But I imagine you're pretty happy it's all over."

"The exams? Oh, yes. As to the rest…" she said and then it was her turn to shrug. "On the one hand I'm kind of sad that my time here is over but on the other I'm glad I'll be able to get out into the world and start the next phase of my life."

"Well, you've worked very hard and not just for yourself. You've helped a lot of students get through the place. So, as a reward for all your hard work, and as a way to help you unwind, I've arranged for the whole family to spend the first week of the summer at Fleur's aunt and uncle's house in the south of France. Plus you'll get a chance to visit Beauxbaton."

Despite her fatigue, she sat up straight and those big dark eyes went wide and with a big grin she let out a little whoop and threw her arms around Harry's neck.

"Oh, wow, Harry, that's terrific. I've heard so much about that house and being by the sea. And to visit Beauxbaton. Fleur has told me so much about it. This is really fantastic, thank you."

"You're welcome, little one, you deserve it. We all do, I think. It's been a pretty full year."

Harry's year had yet to end, however. He had exams to administer to his first year Transfiguration class, his first and second year DADAs and his fifth through seventh year Applied Magic students. Interestingly enough, after a weekend of doing nothing, Abagail must have been feeling at loose ends because she showed up at several of Harry's exam periods to lend a hand. After helping Harry earlier in the year with his Transfiguration classes on their imaging skills she had shown some interest in teaching. She also provided him some assistance with grading exams in those areas where the answers were specific like true/false or multiple choice. Harry took care of the essays.

And then it was over. The last paper was collected, the last class dismissed. Harry's first year as a full time professor was over and Abagail's time at Hogwarts was all but done. Her NEWT results weren't expected until mid summer. Harry received an interesting message while he was up at school getting his classrooms cleaned up for the summer. An owl swept in to the Transfiguration room and dropped a parchment roll onto his desk. He unrolled it and couldn't help but smile. It was from Eleanor outlining the family Quidditch team she and Charlie had been working on.

Charlie and Harry were listed as Seekers, El, Ginny and Angelina as Chasers, Bill and George as Beaters and Ron as Keeper. Since the pitches were available in three hour blocks, the question of substitutions was less important. Eleanor wrote that the idle seeker would be first substitute and she was looking for a second general purpose player who might want to throw in with them. She was hoping for a team meeting on the Saturday approaching at the Meadows. Harry scribbled a quick affirmative reply on the bottom of the message and handed it back to the owl which had been patiently waiting.

Harry sat back and thought about the anticipated fun of playing his favorite sport without all the pressure of a pending house cup. A serious thought intruded when he considered what he had once said to Ginny about how the thrill of making that first catch of the snitch and letting the roar of the crowd rebut what he had been told by his supposed family for all those years growing up. He wondered, would playing the game without the crowd, without the fanfare, be as enjoyable. It would be interesting to find out.

The end of year feast was a joyous affair. Nothing had occurred during the year to mar the celebration. Conditions for the magical community of Britain had continued to improve and those students who were leaving the school were generally doing so with good prospects. During the last week, as students awaited exam results and teachers tended to the chores of closing up classrooms, Harry had the chance to talk to Neville and found that a newly graduating seventh year who was expected to get full marks on his Herbology NEWT had agreed to a yearlong internship of sorts at the Potter Institute as it was being called. It didn't pay much but the opportunity to continue working full time on the rare and potential beneficial plants was too much to pass up and according to Neville they really needed the help.

Harry had written several letters of recommendation for students that were looking to join the Patrollers and he thought one in particular was a natural for the Investigative Unit. The young witch had a particular talent for asking probing questions and the discussions she prompted in his Applied Magic class made her a particular favorite. He had sent Milligan a note to keep an eye on her. So as Harry sat at the faculty table and watched the happy students make heavy inroads into the numerous dishes he couldn't help but smile.

"You certainly look to be in a good mood, Professor."

"That I am, Bill. It's been a good year and we're graduating some very capable witches and wizards," Harry said, turning to look at his old brother. "But you look like you're still not getting much sleep."

"No, I'm not. Dominique is proving to be a bit of an iffy sleeper. She's not much more than two months old but she seems to want to be awake all the time. Her naps are short and she doesn't stay asleep more than a couple of hours at night. And she seems to be constantly watching what's going on around her. It's almost as if she's curious about everything that's going on. I don't recall Victoire being like that."

"Hmm, could make for an interesting time once she starts moving about on her own, she'll be into everything," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Thanks, Harry. I guess I'll go back to the cottage this summer and tie everything down in anticipation," Bill said with a sour look.

Harry turned his head as he heard a deep bass chuckle from his other side. Hagrid had been listening and found Bill's fatherly dilemma amusing. Harry guessed a person that put up with a baby dragon in his small house wouldn't find too much to be worried about from an infant.

"So, Hagrid, any plans for the summer?"

"Not much, Harry. O' course I got young James' present ready fer 'im when yas get back from vacation. I'll bring it the first Sat'day," Hagrid said with a sly grin.

"Um, Hagrid, this isn't something you can just give him before we go? It's not like he'll be worried about leaving it behind," Harry said.

"Sorry, Harry. 'tis summat special and ye'll not be wantin' to leave it behind."

"If you say so, Hagrid. We'll see you after we get back then," Harry replied.

It wasn't long before Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and went to the podium to address the students. She stood and looked across the many faces with a small smile that seemed to suggest satisfaction.

"So another year comes to a close. A successful year to say the least," she said, then paused a moment and continued. "I don't know if any of you realize it or not, but the class of seventh years who will be departing these walls to begin their lives as fully fledged witches and wizards are the very same students who began their careers here directly after the fall of Lord Voldemort. An entire cycle of Hogwarts education has taken place since that fateful day and thanks to their efforts and those of their instructors they are among the most qualified ever graduated. I wish you well, seventh years, well done you, and to the rest I wish you a happy, healthy and enjoyable summer and I look forward to your return to build upon what has been accomplished these past seven years. You are all dismissed."

Harry sat in startled silence. It had never occurred to him that the graduation of the students he had taught as a seventh year assistant to Bill marked such a significant event. He shook his head and looked over at this brother Bill who had turned to look at him. Over the whoops and cheers and general mayhem that accompanied the exit of the students from the Great Hall, Bill simply said,

"And well done you, Harry."

Harry smiled his half smile, managed to suppress the shrug and nodded once to Bill. He left shortly after and went to his office to put away the few things that he had there when someone knocked on the door.

"Come," he said in response.

The door swung open and he saw Abagail's housemate, the young Mr. Kensington standing there.

"Please come in, Mr. Kensington, what can I do for you?"

"Oh, nothing more than you already have, sir," the young man said. "I just thought the likelihood of my seeing you again was[ fairly remote and I wanted a chance to say thank you again for what you did for my family last year. Things are much more peaceful at home these days."

"Your grandfather not causing many difficulties?"

"No, sir, none at all. He stays in his room for the most part, takes the occasional walk about the grounds by himself. With the way things turned out he wasn't left with much ground to stand on," Kensington said as he came forward to offer his hand to Harry. "Thank you, sir."

Harry took the offered hand and shook it. He looked at the young man and said,

"You're welcome, Mr. Kensington. And I wouldn't be so sure about not seeing me again. You're always welcome to visit me here. I'm always available to any Hogwarts student, even the graduated ones."

"Yes, sir, and thank you."

With a nod the young wizard turned and left the office. Before he was able to finish his brief clean up he was visited by a number of students, mostly seventh years but others as well, thanking him for his efforts on their behalf this past year. The evening had moved firmly into night before he was able to crawl into bed. He was staying the night so he could have a last meal with the students and to see Abagail off at the station. She was using the train for the last trip out of a need to get her trunk and other possessions home and from a bit of nostalgia.

As usual, breakfast was a pretty noisy affair. The younger students were happy to be getting the two months off and the older students were looking forward to starting on whatever careers they had waiting for them. The food provided was simple but plentiful and it seemed almost as quickly as it started it was over. Professor McGonagall offered a few simple words wishing them all well and then sent them off to the train.

Harry saw Abagail waiting at the doorway for him as he would take the carriage ride down with her. They climbed into one of the last carriages in the line and were joined by two other older students. The conversation was basically about future plans, hopes for test results and any interesting diversions for the summer. The upcoming trip to the south of France produced some appreciative remarks.

Once on the platform, Harry gave Abagail a tight hug and reminded her that the elder Weasleys would be there to retrieve her and bring her home. With a last wave she boarded the train and Harry began his walk from the station to the little house for the floo network trip home. He had long since come to the conclusion that despite the ease with which he could Disapparate, he enjoyed the Floo Network trips more.

"Harry. Harry, sweetheart, wake up."

"Hmm, what?" Harry replied, his voice thick with sleep. "Oh, ok, I'm awake."

"It's time to get you off this beach, sweetie. It's getting on towards noon and you're losing the shade, I don't want you burning."

Harry stretched as he reclined in the very comfortable chaise lounge that they had carried down off the balcony to the beach. He hadn't realized just how much he needed to be able to relax. The year that passed didn't seem all that hectic but when he and Ginny had been sitting on the couch the night before and talked over what had transpired, he was rather surprised at how much had actually occurred.

So as he looked up from under a wide brimmed, not quite wizard's hat he saw his wife looking down at him with a soft smile, his son nowhere to be seen. He smiled back up at her.

"Feeling better rested?" she asked.

"Yes, it was a nice nap. I'll probably need a few more while we are here but the last couple of days were pretty hectic, so it felt nice."

"Yes, Professor Potter. I fully expect you to take a nap every day we are here. You were looking a bit frayed around the edges these last few weeks," Ginny replied.

"Where's the young man?" Harry asked.

"He's up on the balcony with Abagail. She went down to the water earlier and brought back a pail full of shells and stones. James is having a fine time playing with them."

"How does she seem to you?" Harry asked.

"She's a bit subdued, I'd guess you'd say. A combination of things, I'd think. Tom, graduating, starting a new phase of her life. I think she'll be fine once she gets started with her commissions and such. Now, enough talk. Up you go, it's about time for lunch."

"Hmm, good idea. So what are we making?" Harry asked.

"A bit of a surprise for you there, my dear," Ginny replied with an impish grin.

Harry raised an eyebrow but she offered no further explanation, simply taking him by the hand and leading him back up off the beach to the balcony of the comfortable vacation home owned by Fleur's aunt and uncle. Harry had enjoyed the train trip from London to Marseille as he had the previous times. He would have to send Fleur's father a thank you for the car that he had arranged for to take them the last leg of the trip. Apparently being a favorite of the two daughters had put Harry in good standing with the father.

When he got up onto the balcony he could see James and Abagail sitting on the decking under an awning, arranging the numerous shells and stones in patterns. James was in a sun suit, keeping his fragile skin under cover, while Abagail wore a French cut style one piece suit similar to what Ginny wore, with the addition of a pair of shorts. Her long hair was pulled back and held in place with a loose tie. Harry stopped to admire the artwork.

"That looks very nice. Maybe we ought to bring some of that home with us and you can make a display in the garden."

Abagail looked up at him and smiled, saying,

"Great idea, Harry. I'll see what I can collect while we're here."

Harry was glad to see her smiling. He was also pretty sure that if they were at Blackpool or anywhere along the muggle stretches of the beaches around them, they'd be awash in young men vying for Abagail's attention.

"Alright, you two, lunchtime," Ginny announced, bending down to scoop up her son.

"He can walk you know, Gin," Harry said.

"I'm well aware of that, Harry. He'll be walking for the rest of his life. I'll only be able to carry him for a short period of time longer so please leave me to it."

"Yes, ma'am," was all Harry said, but he winked at Abagail who had to use her hand to smother a laugh.

Harry did indeed get a surprise when he walked into the house and saw the dining table laid out with a full lunch. Standing by the table was Nibs, his face split by a big elfish smile.

"Nibs? What are you doing here?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Kreacher decided that Master Harry and family must be properly fed. Nibs and Dinkle insisted that Kreacher remain home for Kreacher is no longer a young elf."

Harry nodded and then said,

"At least I don't have to worry about losing any weight while we are here."

"You mean at least the neighbors don't have to worry about losing any pets or the local fishermen's nets coming up empty," Ginny offered.

This time Abagail couldn't hold it in and her breathy laugh carried through the smallish house. Harry just scowled at his wife and then took a seat at the table and began to dig in. He assumed his place was at the end of the table where most of the bowls and platters were placed. Abagail and Ginny took turns putting food in front of James. They had long ago learned that putting too much there simply offered too great a temptation and the excess would tend to take flight. Harry was near the end of his second helping and the rest were finishing up when the door chime rang. Harry looked up and asked,

"Are we expecting anyone?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Ginny replied.

"I'll get it," Abagail offered, already sliding off the chair and heading for the front door.

Harry and Ginny heard the door open and then two girlish squeals followed, one high pitched and barely audible, the other a bit lower, but much louder. Harry made an assumption at this point and turned to see he was correct. Wrapped in an embrace and doing the 'happy girl' dance, were Abagail and Gabrielle. Harry turned back to his wife and said,

"This could make for an interesting afternoon."

"True, the question is will I have James all to myself or not see him again until dinner time," she said with a smirk.

Harry put down his utensils and stood up to greet their guest. Gabrielle hurried forward and wrapped him in her usual tight embrace, so much like her sister.

"Bon jour, 'arry. Comment allez-vous?"

"I'm just fine, Gabrielle. How are you?"

"I am very well, mon frere. You were all so close, I could not 'elp myself so I 'ad to come for a veesit," Gabrielle said.

"We're very glad you did," Ginny said as she came around the table to offer her own hugs.

Subsequently, James was the focus of some serious attention but his attempt at grabbing a handful of silver blonde hair was thwarted.

"Ah, ah, ah, no you don't, mon petite 'omme. I was warned about you, yes?" she said as she intercepted his grasping hand, then laughing. "So Abagail, we 'ave much to catch up on,yes?"

"Yes, we do. Let's go find a place in the shade and get started," came the airy reply.

Gabrielle looked at Ginny and said,

"May I?" and then looking meaningfully down at James.

"Of course, you may. Just make sure he stays out of the sun.

"We'll be careful, Ginny," Abagail assured her.

As the two girls walked toward the door leading to the balcony Harry said under his breath,

"And it's not like you won't be watching them the entire time."

Ginny squinted at him, then swatted him on the arm.

"Hey, didn't Dr. Parsons tell you not to hit me anymore?"

"That was for when you were putting yourself down. She didn't say anything about when you were being a smart aleck," she replied.

Harry just shook his head but wisely chose to let it drop. He was right, or course. No matter what Ginny did for the next several hours while the two girls chatted and played at various games to keep James occupied, she was always in a position to see what was going on. Along about mid afternoon Abagail carried the now sleeping James inside and handed him off to his mother.

"We're going to go for a swim," she said.

"Alright, just watch out for the sun. Have fun," Ginny replied.

By the time the sun was setting and dinner was approaching, the two girls had finished with their swimming, showered, dressed and were now sitting on the balcony again once more in conversation. Ginny was sitting on the couch reading through some notes she had brought with her for Charlie's dragon book. She looked out through the balcony doors and then over to Harry who was reading a small book he had brought with him from his library.

"Do you think they're alright, Harry?"

"Oh, I think so, dear. They are both coming off of some pretty hectic times. It's got to be doing them some good to have a sympathetic ear available. It's probably the best thing for them right now. When they are ready they'll talk to us, I'm sure."

Shortly after, Nibs informed them that dinner was ready. Harry rapped on the glass of the balcony door to get their attention and waved them in. When they came in he said,

"Gabrielle, we assumed you'd be staying for dinner."

"Oui, yes, please if it is not too much trouble."

"Of course it's not," Harry replied.

Everyone sat down and dug in. Or at least Harry began to dig while the rest ate at a more refined pace. After a few moments of watching Gabrielle leaned close to Abagail and whispered,

"'ow can 'e eat like that and steel be so theen?"

But she didn't whisper it softly enough. Harry looked up with a smile and wink and said,

"Family secret. Remember what I told you when I was leaving Beauxbaton? It's all part of the same thing. The first time you come out to the house we'll let you in on all the details."

"Alright, 'arry."

The continued to eat more and then Abagail looked at Harry and said,

"Um, Harry, Ginny. Would you mind terribly if Gabrielle stayed over tonight?"

Harry looked across the table at his wife and said,

"I don't mind, is it alright with you, Gin?"

"I think it would be very nice. Your parents won't mind?" she asked Gabrielle.

"I 'ad already mentioned the possibility to them. I was 'oping I would get the chance," she said with a shy smile.

"Done and done then. I'll leave you ladies to work out the arrangements."

As it turned out it was a very quiet, solitary evening for Harry. After dinner the three 'ladies' disappeared into Abagail's room along with a sleepy James to set things up for two occupants. Harry was able to make out the murmur of steady conversation and he assumed he was on his own so he took his book and a lamp and sat outside in the warm night air and read. He was still reading when he heard the balcony door slide open and then close behind him. Ginny pulled a chair up beside him and sat down, resting a hand on his nearest arm.

"So everyone settled in for the night?" Harry asked.

"Yes, James is sound asleep and the girls are taken care of. I imagine they're going to be talking for most of the night."

"There's more?" Harry asked, a bit surprised.

"Harry. Two teen aged girls can easily talk for days and days, especially where boys and the future are concerned. Fortunately, I'm not all that much older than they are so they included me for a few hours. They're both feeling a little anxious about what the future has in store for them. They're both so unique in their own way that it makes it hard for them where the boys are concerned. Did you know that Gabrielle has never had a date?"

"You're kidding!"

"Nope. The boys were all too intimidated and she didn't have the confidence to ask them. And poor Abagail, she was hoping with Tom being older and out in the real world, so to speak, he'd be more mature and accepting of her peculiar nature, as she put it," Ginny said softly.

Harry blew out a long breath and looked over at his wife.

"I wonder if we're old enough to know how to handle this sort of thing."

"Harry, sweetheart, you know full well that you handle these things almost instinctively. You were only eighteen when you recognized how much that little girl needed you. And each step along the way you've known what to do. When the time comes, just listen to her and I'll bet the answers will come to you. As for me, I have my secret weapon."

"Oh really, and what would that be?" Harry asked.

"Not a what, a who. Mum."

"Hey, that's not fair," Harry complained.

"Harry, my dear, where ever did you see it written that it had to be fair," Ginny asked, smirking heavily.

After a lightening fast grab, the night was suddenly full of the sound of laughing and shrieking as Harry extracted his revenge with nimble fingers on sensitive ribs. The following morning, Harry was just finishing his second helping of breakfast when two very unkempt and bleary eyed young ladies shuffled their way to the kitchen table. Harry sat back with an amused look on his face. He was so used to seeing them immaculately groomed that this was something of a surprise for him.

"Good morning, ladies. I trust you slept well last night."

"That's really very unkind of you, Harry," Abagail admonished him, her whispered voice thick from lack of sleep. "You know very well that we didn't get much sleep."

In the meantime, Gabrielle was pouring tea for herself and Abagail, but said nothing. Harry couldn't help but smile and shake his head before going back to his breakfast. Ginny came to the table with James, getting him settled into his chair. She looked at the two girls and clucked her tongue, much like her mother would.

"My, aren't you two a sight. Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

"An 'our or two, Geeny. Oh, mon dieu, I feel like I deed at the end of exam week."

Abagail groaned at the thought.

"Well, we can't have you stumbling around like this all day. Have something to eat and then go have a lie down somewhere and get a few more hours of sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oui, madame."

Harry looked up at the no nonsense expression on his wife's face, so much like that of one Molly Weasley, that he couldn't help but start to laugh, which earned him three sets of baleful glares. He went back to his breakfast, his amusement unabated. It turned into a pretty quiet day. The two girls managed to get themselves looking marginally presentable and had enough energy left to make it to the two lounge chairs on the balcony and get comfortable before dropping off to sleep. Harry, Ginny and James spent the morning on the beach playing with the sand, shells and stones, in between walking with him, each parent holding a hand, along the edge of the surf. James found the bubbly edge of the waves particularly fun to stamp through.

The girls roused themselves in time for lunch and then spent a couple of hours on the beach before retreating to the house for another short nap. Harry, Ginny and James stayed up on the balcony to avoid the worst of the afternoon sun, James taking the opportunity for some napping himself. Gabrielle stayed for dinner and then left for home shortly thereafter to get ready for the trip to Shell Cottage for the summer. She promised she would visit them at Meadow Crest as soon as she could.

Harry once more found himself outside on the balcony enjoying the warm night air as he continued to work his way through his book. After a while he heard the door slide open and then shut softly. A chair was pulled over and he heard,

"Do you mind?" in a very soft voice.

"Not at all. So how did you enjoy Gabi's visit?" Harry asked.

"It was brilliant. It was really nice to be able to talk to someone that didn't seem concerned with all my, well, you know, this stuff," she said tapping her forehead. "We got to just talk mostly about girl stuff. I almost felt normal for a while."

Harry looked over at her and just gave her a nod before saying,

"It's good to be able to have someone you can talk things over with. But I suggest that you plan on getting a good night's sleep tonight. We're visiting Beauxbaton tomorrow and there's a lot of to see."

"I know, I can't wait. Gabi and I talked about it a lot. I would like to just sit out here for a while, if you don't mind the company. It's so quiet and peaceful."

"I don't mind at all."

So Harry read and Abagail stared up into the star studded night sky until they were both called in by Ginny, who echoed Harry's words that they all needed a good sleep for tomorrow. When tomorrow arrived Nibs had a full breakfast waiting and promptly at nine o'clock a black Mercedes sedan pulled up in front of the house. Harry took the front seat and Ginny and Abagail bracketed James in his car seat. As with any magicked automobile, the ride was smooth, uneventful and nonstop. They arrived in good order and as Harry and Ginny were seeing to James, Abagail stood a few steps away and stared at the soaring palace in open mouthed awe.

She was startled out of her amazement as Harry walked up to her saying,

"It does seem to take your breath away doesn't it?"

"It's the most beautiful building I've ever see. It's like right out of one of those fairy tale books my parents used to read to me. I'm so glad I brought my sketch book with me," Abagail replied.

They left the car seat in the back of the sedan and taking a lesson from the other young parents in the family Harry was soon carrying James in a back pack, his son watching the world from over Harry's shoulder and occasionally grabbing a handful of unruly black hair for balance. Harry was beginning to doubt the wisdom of this arrangement. As they reached the bottom of the stairway leading up to the front entrances, one of the doors swung open and Madame Maxime strode out, her large face split with an equally large grin.

"'arry, Geeny. Welcome back to Beauxbaton. Ah, and these leetle fellow must be James," the Headmistress enthused.

"Madame Maxime, it's wonderful to be back, even if it's only been a short time since I was here," Harry replied as they reached the top of the stairs.

"It's very nice to be back, Madame Maxime. I was very jealous when Harry got the chance to come back by himself," Ginny said with a grin.

"Ah, well, you are most certainly always welcome, Geeny. With or without 'arry," she added with a laugh.

Harry laughed as well and then turned to Abagail,

"This is Abagail Westwood, ma'am, our daughter," Harry said with a soft smile.

"Ah, yes. I 'ave 'eard much about you, Miss Westwood. Many unusual talents and a fine artist I am told. I see you 'ave come prepared. C'est bon. We will make sure you 'ave a chance to do some sketching."

"Thank you, very much, Madame Maxime," Abagail replied, barely above a whisper.

The towering Headmistress smiled and turned to lead them all inside. Despite his familiarity with the marvels that adorned the entrance hall, he couldn't help but look around at the sculptures and the worked marble of the walls and floor and staircases. He looked over to see Ginny likewise reacquainting herself with the visual splendor. Behind him he heard a very soft,

"Oh, wow. This is brilliant."

He turned his head and saw Abagail standing awestruck just a handful of steps past the doorway. Her big dark eyes were wide and they were moving everywhere. To Harry it appeared she was focusing on some things that were apparent to the rest of them.

"Little one, are you alright?"

"Oh, yes, Harry. It's all just a little overwhelming. It's so beautiful and I guess I let my guard down and I started to get some images of other things that aren't here anymore," she replied.

"What was that she said, 'arry?"

"Some of those unusual talents you were speaking about, Madame Maxime. Abagail was getting some images of some things that aren't here in the entry hall anymore," Harry said.

"Incroyable, we know that there 'ave been changes made over the centuries but the records are very unclear as to what exactly was 'ere at any particular time," Madame Maxime replied.

Abagail gave herself a little shake and her vision focused on Harry and the others. She had a little embarrassed smile.

"Sorry. I got a little carried away there for a moment. There's just so much to see."

"I remember what it was like when I first arrived 'ere. I envy you your sense of wonder, Abagail. Sometimes I wish I could capture that again," the Headmistress said wistfully.

The ensuing tour was punctuated by soft exclamations of wonder and finally a request.

"Um, would anyone mind if I sat for a few minutes and did some sketches?"

"Certainly, Abagail," said the Headmistress, "I would suggest you go straight through that door. I think you will find the garden very lovely."

"Thank you, ma'am."

As Abagail made her way out to the garden the rest retired to the Headmistress' office. Madame Maxime took her huge chair out from behind her desk and moved it closer to the chairs set for Harry and Ginny. James came to rest in his mother's lap, where he fixed his gaze on the Headmistress seated across from him.

"'arry, I thought while Abagail is busy we could talk a bit. I know that you are concerned about the things you found out about Durmstrang while you were last 'ere. The faculty 'as my direction to learn what they can without creating any pressure, yes, on the students. There is not much to tell you but I wanted you to know that we are concerned as well and will do what we can to 'elp."

"Thank you, ma'am. I have to admit, I asked the members of the fan club to do much the same. And I'm hoping my friends from the Ministry can offer some help. I'm really hoping it has something to do with the way the school is being run, but I have a feeling it's something else."

The expression on the Headmistress' face made it plain she was thinking much the same thing.


	13. Chapter 13

Professor Potter, Chapter 13

"Harry, there are some people at the front door who want to know if you can come out and play."

Harry looked up at his wife from the table where he was putting the finishing touches to his breakfast.

"What are you going on about, Gin?"

"El and Charlie are on the portico dressed in full Quidditch gear and they have some folks with them," she replied with a smile.

"I thought they weren't coming by until this afternoon and we were just going to talk about the team," he said as he stood up.

Ginny just shrugged and followed Harry towards the front door smiling. He pulled the door open and there was the entire team including one flyer Harry didn't recognize. In addition, Mrs. Weasley was there holding on to little Fred and Gabrielle had Victoire by the hand and Fleur was holding Dominique. Harry looked back and Ginny and said,

"I think we've been invaded."

"When it's family it's a visit, Harry," El countered, "although the aftermath might be the same. It was looking to be such a beautiful day and since we hadn't been together in a while we thought we'd get an early start and fit in some practice. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, I think it's great, just give us a chance to get ready. You can get the kids settled in, Abagail is with James in the nursery, but first things first," Harry said as he stepped forward to swoop up his niece and give her a hug. "Hello, my big girl, how are you?"

"G'd Uncle 'arry. How are you?" Victoire said as she squeezed Harry around the neck.

After other hugs and kisses were exchanged, Mrs. Weasley, Gabrielle, and Fleur took the little ones in to see James and Abagail while Ginny and Harry took their gear and brooms out of the closet under the staircase. While they were getting suited up Charlie made the one needed introduction.

"Harry, remember we were talking about picking up one more flyer as a substitute? Well, this is him. We were roommates up at Hogwarts. Eddy, this is Harry Potter and my sister Ginny. Harry, Gin, this is Eddy Hillchurch. Eddy was a first rate chaser but more importantly he could play any other position to a credible standard so it makes him perfect for that lost spot."

"Hello, Eddy. It's really great to meet you," Harry said offering his hand.

"It's a pleasure meetin' ya, Mr. Potter," Eddy replied. "I'm lookin' forward to flyin' with ya."

"Of course, that leaves the question of team captain open," Bill said.

Everyone turned to look at Harry. He looked right back shaking his head.

"Oh, no you don't. I turned the job down my seventh year and I'm not about to start now. El and Charlie put this together. It should be either one of them."

"Charlie it is, then, I don't know enough about the other positions to be captain," El said quickly.

"Hold on a minute, Bill is the oldest…" Charlie began.

"Sorry, little brother, it's all yours," Bill said with a grin.

Charlie scowled a bit and then shrugged. El reached into the pocket of her flying robe and pulled out the whistle Harry gave Charlie for Christmas that time.

"I thought you might have need of it," she said with a grin.

Charlie took it and was about to give it a blow when a small pop was heard and there was Kreacher in his coach's sweatshirt, a gray driver's cap and his whistle on the chain around his neck.

"Alright Weasley Potter flyers. No standing around. It is time to be flying not gaggylolling about."

The serious look on the little elf's face was such that nobody bothered to correct him, they just saluted, mounted and took off, although the newcomer Eddy did look a bit puzzled. It was probably the first time he ever saw or even heard of a house elf ordering anyone to do anything. After a quick airborne conference the flyers took some time to loosen up their flying muscles and get accustomed to being on a broom again.

At a signal from Charlie, the practice balls were released and the position players began to work on their specific skills. While the chasers practiced Quaffle handling, and the Beaters volleyed with a single bludger, Harry and Charlie practiced against each other chasing the snitch. On several occasions Kreacher had to whistle the other players back to work as they tended to stop and watch the aerial dogfight the was unfolding. While Charlie and Harry were both very affable, friendly individuals, they were both fiercely competitive and at the moment they were rising to the level of their competition, which in this case was about as good as it could get.

Neither was able to get the best of the other for over half an hour. It came to an end with an ear shattering blast from Kreacher's whistle and the simple expedient of him making the snitch disappear from in front of the two flyers and reappear in his hand. Harry and Charlie coasted to a stop and looked at each other and then down when the others began to applaud. The two then burst out laughing and began to drift down towards the ground.

Charlie and Kreacher conferred briefly and the chasers began scoring attacks on a simulated goal ring with Ron defending. He was a bit rocky at first as he hadn't done any serious flying in months and hadn't defended a goal since his last year at Hogwarts. But it started to come back to him and by the end of the practice he was stopping far more than he was letting by. As the morning wound down they came to rest in the grass of the meadow. They all looked tired but satisfied.

"Same time next week alright with everyone?" Charlie asked.

There were nods all around.

"I've had a few requests for matches. Seems someone let the kneazle out of the bag that we were forming a team, so it looks like we should be able to get a match set up in a few weeks."

"What would you all say to something to drink and maybe some snacks? It's still a bit early for lunch," Harry asked.

There was a general murmur of assent and Eddy added,

"I could do with a quick drink, Mr. Potter, but then I'm afraid I have to be on me way."

"That's fine, Eddy, and it's just 'Harry'."

Eddy just smiled and nodded. They trooped across the lawn and stacked their brooms against the side of the stair case and left their robes on the few chairs that were on the portico. When they made it to the kitchen there were pitchers of water and pumpkin juice. As he had said, Eddy gulped down a large tumbler of juice, shook hands all around and Dinkle escorted him back to the front door.

"Seems like a nice enough fellow," Harry said.

"Eddy is a good man to have on the team, for sure. The fact that he's also a broom craftsman for Nimbus may have its advantages as well," Charlie said.

"Really? Do you think he knows anything about that being my land up there," Harry asked.

"I doubt it. Pinewood is the only one who's in on the arrangement, as far as I know. He's aware of how you want to keep it quiet."

Harry nodded and downed the rest of his juice, then refilled his glass. While they chatted about how the practice went the rest of the family joined them. James was in a quandary. He seemed perfectly content to be held by his big sister but his eyes kept going to his mother and father. He finally seemed to decide to stay with the status quo.

"So, my dears, I trust all went well. I don't see any smudges or bruises," Mrs. Weasley said.

"It did, Mum, although Harry and Charlie were really pushing the limits there for a while," Bill said.

Mrs. Weasley gave them a 'mum' look and the two started grinning like a couple of school boys. They were interrupted by a delicate cough.

"Um, 'arry. Ees theese a good time for you to let me een on the family secret you 'ave mentioned to me?" Gabrielle asked.

The kitchen got very quiet and most of the heads were swiveling back and forth from Harry to Gabrielle.

"What? Deed I say sometheeng wrong?" she asked.

"No, it's ok, Gabrielle. You just caught them by surprise. I hadn't mentioned this to any of them," he said looking at her with a small smile before turning to the others. "She caught a couple of glimpses of my other nature the last few times we've been together. I promised I'd let her in on the secret now that she's old enough and will be around a lot this summer. Why don't we go outside? It's probably best that there are plenty of others around."

This last comment certainly got the young beauty's attention and she looked at Harry closely for a moment and then to her sister for some hint of what was about to come. All Fluer did was nod her head a bit and wink once. The whole group followed behind Harry as he led them out into the warm early summer air. Gabrielle continued to walk along beside her sister, who was still carrying Dominique. Knowing the routine the rest came to a stop at the edge of the manicured grass, Fleur laying a restraining hand on her sister's arm. Harry walked out into the longer grass and then stopped and turned.

"Um, what about the younger ones, do you think it's alright for them to see this? Particularly little Vee?"

Bill took a moment to consider and then said,

"They're going to be around you enough, Harry, that eventually they'll see or hear something. It might as well be now," Bill said as he was holding his oldest daughter.

He then whispered something in her ear and the look she gave her favorite uncle was intensely curious. Harry nodded and then walked a dozen or so steps further out into the meadow. As he turned he saw the look of confusion on Gabrielle's face as she searched for some clue as to what was about to happened. He noticed that Fleur still had her hand resting lightly on her sister's arm and that Abagail had come to stand on her other side, holding her hand.

"I'll show you now, Gabrielle, and then I'll explain it to as best I can."

He looked at everyone standing there and then within two heart beats he was looking down at them from a much higher vantage point. He could see Gabrielle's eyes go very wide and her free hand come up to cover her mouth. She tried to take a step backward but her legs gave way a bit and Abagail at her side and Eleanor standing behind her had to lend some support. Little Vee on the other hand started clapping and shouting with glee. He came down on all fours with a thump and brought his head down until it was almost to the ground.

Victoire was straining in her father's arms, reaching toward the dragon's head. Bill walked slowly forward until she was able to bring both palms to rest on his snout. He could hear the nonstop giggling for the little girl and had to work hard to suppress a snort when she leaned further and kissed the scaly skin. Harry shifted his gaze as Bill walked his daughter back to the others and he could see Gabrielle was still rooted in place. He saw Ginny give a small toss of her head skyward and he took the hint. He backed up several steps and launched himself skyward. He took a slow measured flight over the grounds, staying below the tree tops as best he could. He then returned and came to a hover and like the time at Hogwarts, Abagail stepped forward, her hair whipped by the air blasts of his wing beats. When she was close enough she reached out and the dragon extended a great talon and she rested her hand on the claw for a moment and then lifted it.

Harry backed away, as did she, until he had room to land. Once on the ground he rotated onto his haunches again and within two heartbeats he was standing in the grass looking at his family. Victoire struggled out of her father's arms and once she was on the ground she dashed straight toward Harry who swept her up and held her face to face. The little girl was almost crowing.

"Uncle 'arry's a dagon," she said.

"Say dragon, Vee," Harry said, emphasizing the 'r'.

"Dwagon," she tried.

"Well, it's a start," he laughed.

As he walked forward he saw Gabrielle staring at him. He hadn't been sure of what kind of reaction he was going to get from her but what he was seeing wasn't very hopeful. As they got within a few steps she was still regarding him with wild eyes but she had a least found her voice.

"Impossible. 'ow can theese be?" she asked.

Harry handed his niece off to her father and offered his hand to Gabrielle and said,

"Let's go sit over there," he gestured to a low stone wall that ran around one of the flower beds, "and I'll try to explain," he said softly.

She hesitated a moment but finally took his hand and together the two went over and sat down. Without letting go of her hand Harry began to explain the story of how his other self had emerged and what uses he had made of it since. The rest of the family began to drift about the lawn. The little ones ran, walked or crawled on the soft greenery while the adults talked in small groups. Eyes continually shifted to the two who were sitting side by side, heads close together, Harry's free hand occasionally making gestures. Finally, they stood up, exchanged a brief hug and then Gabrielle walked slowly away from the others, towards the small pond and stream. Harry went to rejoin the family.

"She said she'd like some time to think it over. It turned out to be a pretty big shock. She thought my eating habits had something to do with a backfired spell or the aftermath of something Voldemort had done to me," Harry said, clearly concerned.

Abagail walked quickly but quietly to come to stand by her friend's side as the taller girl looked at the water. Without looking Gabrielle reached out and let her long arm drape around Abagail's shoulder and pulled the smaller girl tight to her side. Abagail brought her arm around the small of Gabrielle's back to offer whatever support the trouble girl thought she needed.

Harry looked at Fleur not needing to ask the question.

"I don't know what ees wrong, 'arry. She's been 'ere almost a week now and she 'as not said very much. She seems 'appy enough when she plays with the children but more than once I 'ave found 'er sitting in front of the cottage staring out at the sea."

A while later Nibs called them all into lunch and slowly the adults made their way towards the kitchen were a buffet had been set up. It was perhaps twenty minutes after they had started to eat that the two teenagers walked in. Fleur got up from her chair and walked up to her sister and began to speak quietly to her in French. Gabrielle gave a slow shake of her head and muttered something back. Fleur looked over her shoulder at Harry with a questioning glance. Harry exchanged a look with Ginny and then got up and went over to the two sisters.

"'arry, Gabi weeshes to speak to you, please. Een private."

"Sure, we can go into the library. Come on," Harry said softly with a gesture towards the hallway.

They walked silently to the library and after letting Gabrielle precede him through the door, he did something he never did while he was in the room. He closed the door. He gestured to a chair and Gabrielle sat down, her hands held in her lap, her head down slightly. Harry took the chair opposite and waited. After a moment or two she looked up at Harry and said,

"I weeshed to apologize to you, 'arry. You showed me a truly wonderous theeng thees morneeng, yes? But I was too, 'ow you say, lost een myself, to truly appreciate eet."

"What do you mean, 'lost in yourself'."

"Feeleeng sorry for myself. I weell tell you sometheeng, 'arry, but I don't theenk you weell understand eet," she said, rubbing her hands together a bit, her face somber. "I feel that I am, um, surrounded, yes, by people who are extraordinaire. My seester, Beell, Papa, Geeny, Abagail. And you, of course. What I saw today just reminded me 'ow leetle I have to offer. Just thees face, thees 'air and …" she finished making a vague gesture toward herself.

"I'll tell you later how much I disagree with you about that but first, why don't you think I will understand how you feel?"

"Because you are 'arry Potter. Your life 'as been incroyable, incredible. The theengs you 'ave done. 'ow could you know what eet ees like to be like me?" she asked, a bitter undertone to her voice.

Harry didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So he did neither but did take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He leaned forward and took one of her slender fingered hands in his.

"Have you an idea what my life was like before I got my letter to Hogwarts?"

"Only what my seester told me a few times. Your aunt and uncle were 'orrible to you, I know that."

"That's understating it a bit, but yes they were. One of the ways they were horrible to me, as you put it, was to constantly remind me how useless I was. They knew about my magic side and hated me for it and did everything they could to try and crush it out of me. So I think I have an idea about what it's like to feel ordinary. Now, to the matter at hand. You are not now, nor have you ever been, nor will you ever be, ordinary. You have a loving heart and a caring soul. You're very smart and I've seen you demonstrate some very strong natural leadership skills. So with all that going for you why would you think you have nothing to offer the world but your physical gifts, as significant as those may be?"

Gabrielle's eyes widened a bit as she heard the wonderful things Harry was saying about her but they popped wide and she blushed at the last comment. Then her face got serious again and she said,

"Being the president of your fan club, as fun as eet was, ees not the sort of theeng that weell help me een my life."

"I don't know about that. You'd be surprised what kinds of experiences can prove useful later on. But I think the important thing to ask yourself is what would you like to do?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," she replied softly.

"Alright, let's try a different approach. What are you good at?"

She gave a small shrug. Harry suddenly understood what it was that so annoyed his family when he would do the same thing.

"Come on, Gabi," Harry said, using his best 'professor' voice. "You obviously passed your exams, which ones did you do best on?"

Faced with a more insistent Harry she looked at him and said,

"I received my best marks een Potions. I did nearly as well weeth Herbology, as you call eet."

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere. Did you like them well enough to think it might be something you would like to do as a career?" Harry asked.

"I 'ave thought about eet, but could not really decide."

"Potions would allow you to work at an Apothecary, or perhaps a hospital. With enough experience you might even be able to teach. My mother was very good with potions."

"Really?" she said with more interest. "I 'ave never 'eard much about your mama, 'arry."

"Professor Slughorn, the Hogwarts Potions professor, said he thought she could have taken over from him at some point. I have no idea what she thought she might do. Look, Gabrielle. It's not my intention, nor my place, to try and force you to make a decision about your life. But as your friend, as your family, and as a nosy, busy body of a teacher, I have to insist that you stop looking at yourself as just some pretty face. You will start thinking of yourself as an intelligent, capable young witch with a bright future and a family to support you on that journey. Am I making myself clear?"

"Oui, Professeur," she said mildly, with a small smile.

"That's a little better. I know it can be difficult trying to find your way out of someone else's shadow. You should talk to Ron about it. He's managed it very well."

"Ron? 'oo's shadow was 'e een?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"His older brothers', mine, Hermione's."

She said nothing, only nodded, her expression thoughtful. Finally she looked at Harry,

"Thank you, 'arry. I know you 'ave much to concern you. I should not be troubleeng you with my problems."

"Wrong. I'm your family and I'm here for you, just like I am for any of the family. Besides, I'd much rather deal with your problem then some of the ones I've had to deal with in my life," he said with a wry smile.

Gabrielle laughed a bit and squeezed Harry's hand. Harry said,

"So, shall we go back to the kitchen and let everyone start breathing again?"

"Yes, I theenk that would be a good idea."

They both stood up and Gabrielle took Harry into a tight embrace which he returned. She whispered in his ear,

"Geeny is a very lucky girl."

It was Harry's turn to blush a little. When they returned to the kitchen, she was smiling a bit and Fleur wrapped her in her slender arms and whispered in her ear. Then she looked at Harry over Gabi's shoulder and mouthed a silent 'merci'. The crowd began to disperse slowly afterwards and within half an hour the Potters were home alone, with the exception of the dogged scholars in the basement. Harry figured he would pay a visit later in the afternoon. After showers and dressing, Harry and Ginny sat with James on the front portico relaxing.

"What is it about some people that makes it so hard for them to realize their own worth?" Ginny asked.

"You're asking me? After all the issues I've had in that regard I think I'm hardly one to offer any answers."

"I disagree, my dear. It's like what you told me about teaching broom flying. You've had to work through those issues so you should know as well as anyone, probably better," she replied seriously.

"Maybe. I don't know, Gin, perhaps they just make the mistake of comparing themselves to someone else when they should just look in the mirror."

"See that, I told you you'd have an answer."

Their conversation didn't get much further as a familiar and very large figure appeared on the pathway leading out from the car park in the woods. Hagrid waved to them as he stomped up the path to the house.

"Looks like James is about to get his belated birthday present from his godfather," Harry said.

"But he's not carrying anything."

"Are you kidding, Gin? He could be hiding just about anything in that coat of his. I hope it's not a dragon egg."

Ginny's head snapped around and then she gave Harry one of her 'looks'.

"Hullo there ya two. Good ta see yas. Especially young James. Got summat fer him here. Is Abagail about, she might find this interestin'."

"Just a moment, Hagrid, I'll call her down," Ginny said.

She got up and went to the door, swung one side open and stuck her head in and shouted,

"Abagail! Come down and see Hagrid!"

Harry just shook his head as Hagrid smiled under his bushy beard. Harry frowned a bit as he thought he saw some movement under the moleskin coat. He looked up at his big friend who just winked once. Ginny had left the front door open as she returned to her seat and in a few moments Abagail came through at a run. She made straight for Hagrid and hugged him as best she could, as she didn't even reach to the belt that secured his coat.

"Alright. I gots a present here for James' first birthday and it's somethin' ever' boy should have grownin' up but I'm thinkin' a certain young miss will like it as well."

With that pronouncement he reached inside his coat and drew out a wriggly ball of fur. A rather large ball. Abagail let out a shriek and reached up. What she was handed was a brindled Mastiff puppy that was all blocky head, legs, and paws. She cuddled it to herself and rested her cheek on the dogs head.

"Oh, Hagrid, he's so cute. I thought I was going to miss Norby, well I will, but this will make it not seem so bad," she said in a breathy rush.

She took the puppy over to where James had been sitting near Ginny's chair. The boy pulled himself upright and reached to run his hand over the short haired body of the puppy. He laughed at the soft feel. Harry looked at his wife and they exchanged resigned looks.

"I suppose we have room for one of these monsters. Is he one of Norby's offspring by any chance," Harry asked.

"Yep. Arranged it with the same feller I go Norby from. He's bettin' this 'un will be bigger than his da," Hagrid said with a smile.

Ginny rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"James won't be much help but at least Abagail will be around to look after him," she said. "I know nothing about raising dogs."

"Oh, don't worry, Ginny. I learned lots from Hagrid when I was spending all that time at his hut," she said from where she had sat down next to James with the puppy filling her lap, content to be petted after the long ride down from Hogwarts.

"That settles that, I suppose. Well, ones thing's for sure, Hagrid. You won't have to worry about what to get him for his second birthday."

"Wot's that, Harry?"

"A saddle."

The puppy barked a little at the sound of all the laughing. Hagrid remained for several hours visiting, sitting on the top of the steps giving advice and suggesting where they could find supplies for the dog, the magical pet shop in Diagon Alley wasn't going to be much help with a normal dog. It wasn't long before Harry couldn't resist playing with the puppy. He hoped being sired by Norby, the new dog would share his father's tendency not to drool in his lap like Fang used to. The question of a name arose and despite many suggestions nothing sounded right. Abagail had suggested Merlin but Harry thought his magical benefactor might find that a bit disrespectful. They'd have to work on it.

Sunday morning found the Tome Study Group sitting around the dining room table going over their progress to date. Professor Vector indicated that they were making some headway into discerning some patterns that might be the key that Merlin had mentioned but they were still a long way away from cracking the code. Professor Babbling confirmed that they could find no mention anywhere of this type of picture writing, more or less confirming that it was an original construct of the legendary mage. Angus merely sat, silently.

Hermione and Professor Flitwick reported that they too were making headway with the Latin translation but what they were getting out of it seemed oddly phrased. They suspected that either the translation was a code, or the Latin itself was somehow coded leading to mistranslation. However, this didn't seem to dismay them in the least. It merely increased the level of the challenge.

Professor Slughorn had updated the potion ingredients list that he had dug out of the later portion of the tome and was in discussions with St. Mungo's to begin testing. Neville had picked up on the plant that Professor Sprout had found the reference to and was already searching for it. He took the new research assistant along. Professor Slughorn handed Harry a small stack of parchment.

"Harry, my boy, this is a copy of the section that contained my potion formula and description. I'd appreciate it if you'd take a look at it and see what you make of it. Quite a bit of it seems to diverge from the discussion of the formula, a bit confusing really. I thought with your having studied different magical texts these last few years you might be able to make something of it."

"Sure, Professor, I'd be glad to. I feel I'm not making much of a contribution lately," Harry replied.

Nobody voiced the thought their faces were betraying about that particular observation but Professor Vector pushed the discussion in another direction.

"Harry, I've been thinking about the incident you described to us concerning young Miss Westwood when she touched that page of the Tome. Did she happen to mention that she was able to discern anything of what Merlin was thinking while she observed him?"

"No, I don't think she did, but I didn't really ask too many questions of her," Harry replied.

"Do you think she would mind talking to us now?"

"I doubt she would but let's ask her. I think she's out front with the latest addition to the family," Harry replied, smiling slightly at the strange looks he was getting.

He left the dining room and went out through the front doors. Abagail was sitting on the lawn playing with the puppy. James was there as well with Ginny sitting nearby in a chair.

"Abagail, could you spare us a few moments. Professor Vector would like to ask you something."

"Sure, Harry. I'll be right there," she replied.

She got up off the grass and scooped up the puppy and walked toward the house. Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she said,

"Ginny's not all that comfortable around him yet and James isn't quite ready to handle him."

Harry didn't say anything and simply followed her into the house, the dog regarding him over the top of Abagail's shoulder. He wondered how long it would be before the dog would be able to return the favor. As they walked into the dining room there were several exclamations regarding the size of the puppy.

"I take it Hagrid is involved with this somehow," Professor Slughorn said, gesturing meaningfully towards Abagail and her burden.

"Yes, a present for James' first birthday. Abagail has appointed herself regent caregiver since James is a bit young yet," Harry said.

"Hmm, yes, and about five sizes too small."

"Miss Westwood," Professor Vector began, "Harry has told us about what occurred when you laid your hand on the tome and then afterward when you touched just the one page. When you were observing the wizard at his work, were you able to pick up anything of what he was thinking?"

"No, sir, but then again I wasn't really trying. I guess I was caught up in the idea of being able to watch him and that he seemed aware of me that I didn't even think to try anything else."

"The reason I ask is that if you were able to observe him while he was writing in the pictograms, it might help us break the code," the Professor said.

"I could try," she replied.

"Excellent. Angus has a sheet from the early section. We could try it now if you don't mind."

"Surely."

Angus pulled a sheet of the odd picture writing from a stack of papers on the table in front of him. He slid the sheet to the side so Abagail could reach it. She stepped up, realized she was overly encumbered and held the puppy out to Angus.

"Would you, please?"

The boy blinked a time or two then reached out and took the puppy and held him on his lap. Abagail reached out and put her hand on the sheet, palm down and closed her eyes. Those around the table watched as the small girl stood stock still, her eyes under her lids the only visible movement. Harry had come to stand behind her in case the contact resulted in any dizziness, as it had the first time. After a moment she took in a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"Well, that was interesting," she said, barely audibly. "Could I sit down, please?"

Despite being loaded down with the dog, Angus was up in an instant and stepping back out of the way. Abagail looked back at him with a tired little smile and slipped into the chair.

"Did you see anything, my dear?" Professor Slughorn asked.

"Yes, but it was much different than the other time."

"How so?" asked Professor Vector.

"With the single sheet from later in the book I could see Merlin very clearly, as if I was standing across the room from him. When he looked over at me I could see ever feature of his face. This time it was like looking through a thin curtain or veil and he never even looked up. I could see that he was writing but he was using something odd to write with. I think they call it a stylus. The room was different too. The first time it looked like he was in a room in a tower, all gray stone. This time it was a larger room, rectangular with painted walls, very bright colors."

"Hmm, so, the sheets appear to be written at different times and in different places. Looking at them I would have thought they were all done in the same period, say during a lifetime, a conventional lifetime that is," Vector said.

A thought occurred to Harry.

"Abagail, when you first touched the whole book, you said it was very overwhelming, like everything was coming at you at once. Then when you touched the single sheet you felt that the power of Merlin had infused the sheet somehow, am I getting that right?"

"Yes, Harry. There was a sense of personal power in the parchment itself. It felt different this time, though, not nearly so strong or, I don't know how to say it, um, together," she said.

"I believe the word you are looking for, my dear, is cohesive," Professor Slughorn said.

"Yes, thank you, I think that's right."

"So maybe then we're getting a glimpse of Merlin at two different phases of his life. This early sheet is him as a more ordinary wizard at the beginnings of his power and the later one is him at the peak of his powers and skills. Therefore the different levels of clarity of the image," Harry said in conclusion.

"You many have something there, Harry," offered Professor Babbling. "We sometimes talk about a person's aura, more as a metaphor for the strength of their personality, but perhaps for someone with sufficient power, it's more tangible."

"Well, this is all getting very philosophical but why don't we let the young lady get back to her day and we'll press on. Thank you, Miss Westwood, we appreciate your time and effort."

"You're welcome, sir," she replied as she stood back up.

"Abagail, why don't you go back outside and relax with Ginny and James. I'll send Nibs out in a bit with something for you," Harry said, then he looked at Angus and the puppy. "Um, Angus, would you do me a favor and carry the puppy outside. Abagail's a bit done in."

The boy looked down at the dog that had fallen asleep and was dangling in all directions in the boys arms.

"Oh, aye," he said and then blushed as Abagail smiled at him before she led him out of the room and beyond to the front lawn.

Professor Vector looked down at the solitary sheet that Abagail had touched. Then he scratched his head and said,

"More tantalizing tidbits, but I'm becoming more convinced that our clever friend isn't giving anything up easily. I'd bet he put that potion and plant reference out in plain sight as a way to keep our attention."

Harry thought back to the look in Merlin's eyes as he approached Lily Potter, just before she escorted him through the Veil. He recalled the twinkle, the almost boyish charm and he had to agree.

AUTHORS NOTE: If you'd like to suggest a name for the puppy drop me a note.


	14. Chapter 14

Professor Potter, Chap 14

The Weasley Potter Flyers, as Kreacher had called them, were sitting on chairs and blankets on a stretch of lawn not too far from one of the public Quidditch pitches that had been erected on the old farming property in Derbyshire. They were tired but exhilarated. Also in attendance were non flying members of the family that had come to watch and cheer them on. They had just flown their first match as a team and acquitted themselves admirably. Someone less careful with their language would have said that they had just kicked some serious arse. The team they played was a group cobbled together from the younger members of the Ministry office of Games and Sports along with some fellows from QUABBLE. Two hours and forty seven minutes into the regulation three hour game Charlie Weasley had snagged the snitch to win the game by a score of three hundred and fifty to seventy.

"That was a brilliant grab, Charlie," Harry said by way of congratulations. "I can see you haven't lost anything off your game."

"Thanks, Harry. It's funny how it all seems to come back to you. Although I don't remember it being this tiring, especially after only a three hour game," Charlie said with a grin.

"One of the joys of growing older, boys," Mr. Weasley said from his folding chair. "There comes a point where you can still perform like you did when you were younger, but the recovery time is much longer. I wouldn't expect to see much activity out of some of you for a few days to come. But it was a very well flown match. Hard to believe you've only been together as a team for a few weeks."

"Well, that's not really all that true dad," Bill interjected. "Harry, Ginny, George and Angelina all flew together for years. Ginny and El were teammates for three years as pros, I was with Charlie and Eddie for a few years and most of us have flown together for fun for years as well. Those few weeks were more about reacquainting ourselves and learning how to deal with the new rules."

"I guess that's true, Bill. Hmm, I wonder if when word of this win gets out if you'll have trouble finding teams to play," the elder Weasley said.

"I doubt it, but if it did we could always fly in disguise," Bill replied with a grin.

This got everyone laughing but it was cut short by the sound of lots of yelling from down by the one pitch that was set aside for first come first served play. Two teams were battling it out in the air and two small but considerably vocal groups of supporters on the ground were making most of the noise.

"Raucous crew if I do say so myself," Mrs. Weasley said from her chair next to her husband.

Almost everyone in their small group winced when they saw two opposing beaters clash going after a bludger. The collision sent one flyer spinning off barely clinging to his broom, shouting curses at his opponent.

"Rough and tumble style of flying, too," Harry commented. "Reminds me of Slytherin when they weren't so good. Made up for a lack of talent with lots of brawn and bruising."

"I think we need to make sure that that general purpose building has some sort of infirmary from St. Mungo's if we're going to see much of this sort of play," Eleanor commented from Charlie's side.

There were nods and a few murmurs of agreement and then Harry said,

"Well, Mr. Captain, sir. What say we head back to the house and get cleaned up. Lunch is waiting."

This got even more nods and comments. All the blankets and chairs were gathered up and while Mr. Weasley handled the Disapparation to and from the Quidditch park, Molly was getting an assist from Bill. The longer distance travel was tiring for her and her son insisted on using Side Along Apparation to help her make the journey. With a nod from Charlie they all started popping out of sight as the next group to make use of the pitch they just vacated moved in to start their match.

The sounds of popping and the voices of the new arrivals alerted those in the house that the team and its supporters had returned. Abagail was the first out the door, closely followed by Gabrielle who had Victoire by the hand. Fleur followed along carrying Dominique. Last out of the door was Andromeda Tonks, carrying James. She had arrived early in the morning with Ted so that he could go and watch the match. He ran up to his Gran, his face alive with excitement.

"You should have seen it, Gran, it was brilliant," Ted enthused.

"Oh, I've seen my share of Quidditch matches, young fellow. Seven years worth at Hogwarts," she replied with a smile.

"I'll bet you never saw flying like Harry and Charlie were doing. I couldn't believe some of things they did."

"There you may be right, Teddy," she said, then looked at the rest of the party. "It looks like you've all come through it in good shape. From the smiles we can assume you won."

"Yes, they did, Meda," Arthur replied. "My only hope is that Eleanor doesn't get into any trouble. I can't imagine the Harpies would be too thrilled if she got hurt playing in a match like this," he said casting a sidelong glance at his son's girlfriend.

She blushed a bit and said,

"Um, well actually it is a day off and I was supposed to be visiting my aunt and uncle who live not too far from the park."

This got a laugh from everyone. The question had been asked of her several times about how the Harpies felt about her extracurricular playing. She had successfully evaded giving an answer until Charlie finally cornered her. Her reply was

"When I ask them about it, I'll let you know."

Charlie had confided in the others that she felt her professional days were coming to an end and she was looking at the family team as a way to continue playing one way or another for the foreseeable future. He suspected that when her contract ran out at the end of next year that would be the end of it. Harry was in the process of roughhousing with his niece who was giggling and shrieking as she mock grappled with Harry. Andromeda interrupted the little free for all with the announcement,

"I was asked by your house elves to inform you that lunch is waiting once you've dispensed with your gear and gotten yourselves washed up. One of them was quite insistent about the cleaning up."

"Sounds like Dinkle," Ginny said with a grin. "He absolutely hates it when anyone tracks in any dirt. And Snuffles is giving him some pause."

"Snuffles?" Angelina asked.

"Yes, the monster Mastiff puppy that Hagrid gave to James for his first birthday," Ginny replied.

As if on cue a pattering of nails on marble flooring could be heard through the open front door. A significantly larger ball of fur than had been delivered by Hagrid three weeks before scrambled through the door on to the portico in a jumble of long legs, huge paws and a big lolling pink tongue. Abagail went to one knee and opened her arms in invitation to the dog.

"Good grief, how old is he again?" George asked.

"Just twelve weeks," Harry replied as he bent down to scratch Snuffles between his ears.

"And where did the name 'Snuffles' come from?" El asked.

"It's what he does a great deal of. Particularly at the bottom of doors. He spends a lot of time trying to figure out who's in what room by sniffing at the door, only he's so loud about it you have to call it snuffling. Plus it has a certain sentimental value," Harry said a bit wistfully. "Ok, everybody. Off with your gear and get cleaned up. I'm starving."

Robes, gloves, leg guards and goggles were deposited on the portico chairs and feet vigorously wiped on the mats before the doors. The flyers headed for various washing facilities while the rest made their way to the kitchen to begin helping themselves to the buffet lunch that had been set out. As they got cleaned up the flyers invaded the kitchen and attacked the buffet. The morning's exertions had created huge appetites, none larger however than that of the two legged dragon that walked among them. Harry piled his plate high, found a seat at a nearby counter and set to with vigor. He was nearly finished with the first plate when he looked over at Gabrielle, who was seated nearby, James perched on her lap, allowing Ginny to concentrate on her own lunch.

"So, how's Auntie Gabrielle doing today?" he asked.

"Very well, 'arry. I 'ave been giveeng much thought to what we talked about and I theenk you may be right. I weell 'ave to talk to my potions professuer when I return 'ome to see what opportunities she may be aware of," she replied.

"That's great," Harry replied.

"Potions?"

This came from George who was also sitting nearby with Angelina and little Fred in a highchair.

"That's right, George. Gabrielle was having some trouble figuring out what she was going to do after the summer was over. It turns out she's very good with potions so I suggested maybe she look into an apothecary or hospital to see if she'd like to turn it into a career," Harry replied.

"Might I offer another alternative?" George asked, directing his question to Gabrielle.

"Oui, yes, please."

"What would you think about coming to work at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?"

"To do what, George?" she asked.

"Our products don't grow on trees, young lady," George said in mock seriousness, then smiled. "There's quite a bit of potion making and alchemy going on. Particularly in the product development lab. And I'm about to lose one of my senior alchemists. He told me two weeks ago that he intended to retire at the end of the year. I need to find someone to replace him, but I need them to work with him for a few months to learn his little secrets, he's not much for writing stuff down as much as I harangue him about it. And because of the timing I missed the better seventh years that just graduated. What do you think?"

Gabrielle sat quietly, absently stroking James thick dark hair. She looked over at her sister who was regarding her from across the kitchen. She looked back at George and said,

"Eet ees certainly an interesting opportunity, yes, but I don't know eef I would be able to theenk up the, 'ow you say, seelly theengs that you sell, George."

"Well, you don't have to. That's my job and a couple of others. In fact, the guys in the lab are pretty darn serious about what they do. They have to be. They mess about and things get very noisy, very quickly. What I need is someone with a good head for potions and the like, and a sharp mind to pick it up fast."

She looked down at James again and then back at George.

"Alright. I weell geeve it a try. I need to talk to Fleur about 'ow much longer she weell need me to 'elp 'er with the children."

"That's great, the sooner the better but it doesn't have to be right away. I'll tell Rimspoke if he doesn't start writing some of the stuff down I won't let 'em leave," George said with a grin.

Harry had been watching the exchange quietly, working his way through the rest of his first plate of lunch. When Gabrielle looked at him after agreeing to George's offer with a shy smile he smiled back and winked at her. He was able to work on his second plate with a vastly improved state of mind.

The next day held an event equally important but for less joyful reasons. Milligan had come to pay a personal call on Harry. Harry was sitting on the front lawn with James, Abagail, and Snuffles. The puppy had developed a game with James that involved slowly approaching the standing boy with his head down, lightly pushing it against James' torso. The boy would wrap his arms around the back of the big head and this was the signal for the dog to take two quick steps forward, bowling the youngster over and the wrestling match would start. The sounds were a mix of high pitched growls and even higher pitched laughing and squealing. Abagail was there to referee and pull them apart when it looked like it was getting too rough.

Her protective nature was not all about James either. The boy gave as good as he got. A handful of ear or fur, a headlock, even the occasional tongue grab in response to a head butt or the coup de main, getting the boy on his back, putting a paw on his chest and delivering a merciless tongue bath to the face and neck. As Harry watched the melee he thought the two were well matched but soon the dog would outweigh the boy by several times and then they'd have to be more careful.

Abagail had just broken up the latest fall when a soft pop further down the path announced an arriving visitor. Harry looked up to see the lanky investigator and deputy chief coming towards him. Harry stood up and waited for him. The sardonic half smile was there as always.

"Morning, Chief. Had some information for you so I thought I'd come out and give it to you in person. Plus I haven't seen the little miss in some time. Some of the lads are disappointed we haven't seen her."

"Good morning, Milligan."

"Hello, Mr. Milligan," Abagail said in an airy reply. "You're right, it has been inconsiderate of me not to come and see my friends. I'll make plans for this week, would that be alright?"

"I'll let them know you're coming. They'll be very happy to hear it."

"Why don't we go inside? We can use the library," Harry suggested.

"Sounds good. Nice to see you again, Miss Abagail."

"Thank you, Mr. Milligan."

The two former colleagues walked side by side toward the house.

"That's quite a pup you've got there, Chief. Looks like he's going to be pretty big."

"Most likely, he's only twelve weeks or so old at the moment."

"Good grief, I take that back, he's going to be huge."

"Probably."

By this time they were through the front doors and into the foyer. When they entered the library, Harry was glad that the tome sections had all been moved downstairs. He knew the investigator wouldn't have missed noticing it. He might not ask what it was, but he'd know something unusual was there.

"Have a seat," Harry said.

Milligan settled himself into a chair and looked at his former boss.

"I don't have a great deal in the way of specifics but I can confirm that rumors are flying everywhere, if you know where to look and who to ask. I saw the message you got from that Bulgarian fellow and it fits with what we've been hearing. It seems that anyone who has the means and desire have bolted Durmstrang. There apparently have been several key position changes since Karkaroff's demise. Lots of talk about increased emphasis on the Dark Arts, even for them. Haven't picked up on anything criminal like our late Romanian friend but definitely some sort of unpleasantness is in the making up there."

Harry sat and nodded when Milligan finished.

"I don't suppose there's any chance that we could get anyone in there to see what's going on is there?"

"We?" Milligan asked.

"Sorry, old habits," Harry said slightly embarrassed.

"Once a copper, always a copper, Chief. Anyway, I don't think so at this point. The best we can hope for is to talk to those that have left recently. I have a line on a few possibilities. Some contacts I've developed in Eastern Europe in the last couple of years are checking into them for me. I have hopes that the kids you spotted at Beauxbaton might have something to offer as well. What does seem evident is that people are reluctant to discuss it openly. We'll need to listen at some keyholes to find out anything," he said with a shrug.

"It's too bad we don't have Rita Skeeter on our side," Harry said, almost to himself.

Milligan gave him a puzzled look. Harry looked back, shrugged and said,

"Keep this to yourself but that old bat is really an old bug. Unregistered animagus. Becomes a small black beetle. That's how she was able to come up with those stories during my fourth year. Like that old expression about being a fly on the wall, she was, more or less. She'd be handy to fly in a few windows up at Durmstrang and find out what's what, but it's not like we were on good terms."

Milligan just nodded, his lips pursed. Then he looked at Harry and said,

"We interviewed those kids you recommended. You were right about the young lady. Very sharp. I've definitely got my eye on her. If she's anything like Goldstein I'll scoop her right up. Got to hand it to you, Chief. In all my years as an Auror I've never seen so many promising candidates. Your patroller idea and the separate teams within the Aurors really opened up the gates. If we ever need to raid Durmstrang, the Special Tactical Squad would be the boys and girls to do it."

"Let's hope it never gets to that point, Milligan."

The Deputy Chief smiled a bit and within fifteen minutes he was gone, leaving Harry to do some serious thinking. An idea occurred to him and after thinking about it for a few moments he went to talk to Abagail.

"I haven't the slightest idea, Harry. I'm not sure I'd even know where to start."

Harry had found Abagail outside on the lawn, sitting on the edge of a large blanket. In the center of the blanket was James and Snuffles, rolled up together in a ball, sound asleep. Abagail had been sketching on a pad. What Harry had asked her was did she think that there was a way that she could link to Harry's mind, either in human or dragon form, and read the minds of those around him.

"I suppose we could try some experiments. Let me think about it for a bit. I assume this has something to do with what you've been hearing about Durmstrang. That was why Mr. Milligan was here?"

"Yes. Again, no specifics, just rumors and hearsay, but what is being said and heard isn't sounding very good."

"Um, Harry, if you don't mind my asking, why is this any of your concern? It's someone else's school, hundreds and hundreds of miles away. If something is wrong wouldn't the Aurors or whatever they have there take care of it?" she asked.

"I don't know that I'd wind up doing anything about it, little one. But before anyone can do anything they'd have to know about what's going on and who's doing it. I guess I'm just being nosy, but I don't want us caught napping again," he said.

"And you wouldn't be Harry Potter if you didn't care, right?"

Harry shrugged.

"Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but with my history since coming to Hogwarts it's not necessarily unjustified. Every year seemed to hold some new disaster in the making. Then my time at the Ministry. If something is going on, I'd just like to be able to head it off before it goes too far, that's all."

He sat on the blanket, watching his son and the puppy sleep the sleep of the innocent. How long would it be before the world began to intrude on the dreams they were dreaming? He was shaken from those thoughts by a deep but gentle voice right beside him.

"Oi, Professor," Angus said.

"Oh, Mr. MacAskill. What can I do for you?"

"Professor Vector be needin' ye."

"I'll be right in," Harry said as he pulled himself to his feet.

He looked at the young genius who was looking down at James and the puppy, a sort of wistfulness to his features. When Angus' glance drifted to Abagail he saw she was looking right back at him. His face went crimson but he managed a brief nod before turning around to hurry back towards the house. Harry made no overt sign that he had seen the exchange.

"I'll go see what the good professor needs. You'll be alright out here?"

"Of course, Harry. I'm working up some ideas for illustrations for that children's book. I've got the perfect inspiration right here," she said, gesturing towards the sleeping pair with her head.

Harry smiled briefly in return and made his way into the house and down into the basement workroom for the Study Group. Angus was back at his customary place, pages of material in piles on the work table.

"Ah, Harry, there you are. Just thought we'd bring you up to date with what we've been doing," Professor Vector said.

Harry had noticed that the Arithmancy Professor had come to assume a sort of team leader or coordinator's role. He kept things organized, made sure that Harry received periodic reports and had taken to keeping a journal or ledger of significant events or discoveries. Harry thought the Professor's orderly mind may have been what attracted him to the magic of numbers in the first place.

"We've started to build a catalog or vocabulary if you will of the symbols in the pictogram writing as it pertains to the ancient Greek, based on the matching patterns that young Angus has been uncovering. Ms. Granger is looking into obtaining some texts for us on the grammatical patterns of the Greek to see how we might start arranging our translations. It won't mean much if we can't discern the grammar."

"That's great, Professor. I'd be at this until I was old and gray if I tried doing it myself."

"Speaking of which, my boy," Professor Slughorn began, "have you made any headway into that material I gave you the other week?"

"I don't know if I'd call it headway, but I did read through it twice. It seems to me like there are several different essays or whatever intermingled. It seems entirely too disjointed to be written by someone of Merlin's abilities. So I started writing each sentence down on a separate piece of muggle paper. Then I'll start trying to match up the sentences to see what comes out of it," Harry replied.

"Well done, my boy. I was more interested in the potions part of it so I more or less disregarded the rest. A lesson to me to pay closer attention," the older wizard said with a laugh. "Your wide ranging interests keeps you open to more possibilities. That's evident from your Applied Magic work."

Harry smiled and spent another quarter hour or so talking about various areas of the project and then he went back upstairs to his library. His mentioning of the work he was doing on the section of the tome got him interested in putting more time into it so he gathered up his materials and went into the dining room. He needed plenty of open flat space to lay the phrases out as he copied them. He numbered each one so he could keep track of which ones came first. He hoped the crafty old wizard hadn't jumbled up the sequence as well. He had been at his work for over an hour and had a number of slips of paper laid out when he heard a soft voice behind him.

"What are you doing, Harry?"

"Trying to sort out a puzzle, little one. Professor Slughorn found an essay of sorts in the tome that had some information on a potion in it. But he was having trouble making sense of it. It seems that there might be one or more other subjects interwoven into it. I'm trying to sort it out."

Abagail walked up to the table next to Harry and began to look at the various slips of paper and what was written on them. She scanned through the dozens of pieces that Harry had already written out and then said,

"I'd say this one starts off the potion formula. Looks like two more articles at least. This sentence starts one and I think this the other," she said as she took the three pieces and set them apart from the rest.

Side by side they went through the slips, placing new ones along the growing piles as they came to them, Harry finding a fourth starter sentence about half way through what he had already written out. Once they had gone through everything Harry had already done, Abagail picked up the pen and started to copy more sentences. She had commented several times that Harry's scrawl, as she put it, was a bit difficult to read. Harry recalled a similar comment from Hermione on several occasions but he consoled himself that it wasn't as bad as the sixth year with the trained chicken he had had to contend with last year.

It was well into the afternoon when Ginny walked into the dining room, holding James on her hip, Snuffles padding along behind.

"What have you two been up to?"

"Oh, hello there, sweetheart. We've been trying to solve an academic jigsaw puzzle. Our cagey friend left us four different essays combined into one large piece. We've been dissecting it and putting it back together again."

Ginny had come up on Harry's other side and looked at the bits of paper arranged in four distinct groups on the table. Harry pointed to the various accumulations of paper strips.

"One is a potion formula and instructions, another looks like a discussion of some sort of political situation going on at the time, this one here talks about training members of a royal court to do various functions and this last one started well into the whole mess and we've only found a few bits of it so far but it's very interesting. It seems to me like he's talking about his philosophy of why we do what we do and how it might lead to someone pursuing the dark arts. I'm very eager to see how that develops."

"I can understand that," she said with a smile. "Well I can see the dining room won't be available for dinner but it's just us so the kitchen table will be fine. If you need any help when it comes time to write this all up, Harry, let me know. Charlie has some serious revisions to make so I'll have some free time for a while."

"Thanks, Gin, that would be great," Harry replied.

"Yes, it would be," Abagail said mildly. "the all powerful famous Harry Potter is a little wanting in the penmanship department."

"Hey," Harry said in a pained tone of voice.

His two ladies simply laughed. Despite his aggrieved tone, Harry was anything but unhappy. He was pleased that work was progressing on the tome and that the Study Group was digging into it with enthusiasm. His only concern there was that they were going to overwork themselves. He knew that the professors had responsibilities regarding the upcoming year and he would have to speak to Professor Vector to make sure they didn't neglect that. He was sure that Professor McGonagall would be most upset if that were the case and he was sure of whom she would come looking for to make her displeasure known.

He was happy that Abagail seemed to be settling into her life without too much trouble. She had her work for the publisher to keep her occupied and in the upcoming week she had an interview of sorts with the people from Salisbury Construction to discuss some freelance work. The issue with Tom seemed to have subsided and he was sure once she got out and met more people her social life would improve significantly. The fact that she was showing an interest in the work on the tome was another good sign. He was enjoying playing Quidditch again and even the issue with Durmstrang wasn't weighing too heavily on him, now that he knew various authorities were aware of the rumors and were looking into the situation.

The fact that his birthday was approaching was something else to buoy his spirits. He was looking forward to the big family gathering he knew was being planned, largely because he was helping to plan it. As long as the weather held it would be mostly outdoors although he was sure the library and the chess set would get plenty of use. He had informed the Study Group that the basement would be closed but that they were all invited for the day. He said they needed the break.

So it was that with a pause for dinner, Harry and Abagail had finished pulling the section of the tome apart and rearranged the pieces into four separate batches. It appeared Harry's hope that Merlin had not added the extra complexity of jumbling the separate phrases within in each essay further was justified. Without really getting into any detail he could see that each was fairly coherent in the order that that had been originally set. Abagail and Ginny told Harry that he could take the next couple of days off and they would draft out the four separate essays in full, the implication being they thought people would want them legible.

He was more than happy to let them have at it. In fact the next morning, after finishing his breakfast, he found Snuffles investigating the door to the broom closet under the stairs and suggested they go outside. The cocked head told Harry the puppy had no idea what he just said but when Harry swung the front door open, that was all the invitation Snuffles needed. He went through like a shot and by the time Harry got outside the dog was showing hints of his parentage, at least on his sire's side, by chasing after any and all flying insects his big paws were stirring up from the lawn.

Harry found a ball that was lying next to the stairs and tossed it around for a while and then coaxed the puppy to follow him on a tour of the property. Following might not be the right word, since he spent as much time yards ahead of Harry as he did behind or beside him. One thing Harry found out was that Snuffles was no water dog. Harry found him standing beside the stream that fed the small pond on the property. He wasn't sure if the dog was looking at his own reflection or if something was swimming beneath the surface but when Snuffles went to investigate by touching a paw to the water he pulled it back quickly and shook it several times to dry it. He promptly lost all interest in the stream and went tearing back out into the longer grass of the meadow.

When Ginny came outside later in the morning to get James some fresh air she found Harry lying on a chaise lounge, gently snoring. Snuffles was cradled between his masters outstretched legs on his back, paws in the air, tongue lolling out and making a bit more noise in the snoring department. She quietly called to Kreacher who went off and returned with Abagail with her sketch pad. She did up several quick sketches. The resulting water color hung on the wall in the library for decades after, commonly known to the family as 'a boy and his dog'. It would become one of Harry's most prized possessions.


	15. Chapter 15

Professor Potter, Chapter 15

Harry lay back on the comfortable new chaise lounge that he had received for his birthday. He was staring up into the night sky looking for familiar constellations. It was a little after midnight so his birthday was officially over. The party had finally come to an end less than an hour before and it had begun at noon. The entire family had been there to include the elder Delacours, Grangers and Johnsons. The Tome Study Group was also in attendance. The cover story was that they had been spending a good part of the summer working on taking Harry's Applied Magic concepts and migrating them to the standard curriculum.

A number of other guests had come and gone during the course of the day to include other faculty members, Aurors and Patrollers, and a few members of the Ministry hierarchy. Quite a bit of flying had taken place over the meadow and Snuffles had worn himself out responding to all the attention he had gotten. It was amazing how many people loved the big gangly puppy, as long as they were able to leave him with his family when the day was done. The last Harry had seen of him, he was sprawled out on an old blanket in the middle of the floor of James' nursery.

The food had been nonstop and Harry was sure that the house elf staff was likewise sleeping like the dead after the day long effort that they had put in. It was a warm night and the cushioned chair had him relaxed. If he wasn't so worn out from the festivities he would have been tempted to turn dragon and go flying. Instead he let his gaze sweep across the sky, looking for any hints of what his brethren in the herd were able to fathom. Try as he might, he found no road signs to the future. Had he found any he wouldn't have gone to bed shortly after in as good a frame of mind.

The first issue arose from a visit he paid to the Quidditch park the following Saturday. He had been invited by Nathaniel Pinewood to see the progress being made on the general purpose building. He arrived around noon and found that a great deal had been accomplished. The stone work repairs to the foundation had been made earlier in the summer and had been allowed to set. They had also laid additional stonework to create a waist high wall around the perimeter of the foundation upon which the timber framing was being erected. They were using traditional timber work similar to that used for the old barn.

It was explained to Harry that on the very outside chance that a muggle would get this far onto the property and see what was going on they would only see what looked to be a repaired or renovated farm building. Inside, work had begun on the partitioning for the various rooms that would include a cafeteria, changing rooms, infirmary, and several shops. Harry liked what he saw and said so. When they got outside he could see that several matches were underway. He could also hear quite a bit of noise coming from the fourth pitch. He looked over at Pinewood who shrugged and said,

"I know, they create quite a bit of noise. The same bunch every weekend, practically all weekend long. We've had some complaints from other groups but they figured out that if they shift their team members around after each match it gets around the rule about only one time slot per team. A pretty rough and tumble bunch, too. We had words with them but they've pretty much ignored us and like I said, technically they aren't breaking any rules."

"Terrific," Harry said sourly, "Quidditch hooligans."

"What?"

"Hooligans. A term from my muggle days. Muggle football, I don't know if you're familiar with it, but it's hugely popular, all over the world, in fact. Some of the fans, however, create problems with their overly enthusiastic, sometimes criminal behavior. Drinking, fighting, harassing other teams and fans. I wouldn't have thought to see that here. With so many other witches and wizards with wands, you'd think they'd behave."

"Well, Harry, I think your average witch or wizard isn't likely to pull a wand and stupefy someone for making a row. They do spoil things a bit though."

"Yes, they do. I'll give it some thought. I don't believe I'd like this sort of thing to continue. It is my property, after all."

With a nod he walked closer to the fourth pitch to get a better look at the rowdy flyers and fans. Upon closer inspection they appeared to be a mixed group, the various accents indicating origins around the UK. He wondered how they made the arrangements. He used his favorite disguise spell to blur his more identifiable features and moved to where he was just at the outer edge of where the fans were spread out on the grass. Anyone who happened to glance in his direction took no real notice of him.

What he saw was a little disheartening. The level of play was little better than a street brawl. The flyers spent as much time bumping into and swinging at each other as they did trying to score or even execute a rudimentary play. The verbal abuse heaped on each other, teammates included, was almost nonstop. While he was observing all this a group of flyers appeared at the far end of the field and were almost immediately accosted by a small gang that had appeared out of the spectators. After some traded shouts the new group Disapparated. Harry was growing more annoyed by the moment.

He knew what he did next was petty, even childish, but after he did it he felt much better. Taking a lesson from Kreacher he began to influence the various balls in the air. Unlike Kreacher he needed to use his wand so he faded back into the shade of some small trees and kept the wand out of sight as much as he could. In fairly short order he had managed to send two chasers crashing into each other as the Quaffle took on a life of its own. In addition, a suddenly vengeful bludger began pummeling various flyers from both teams and the snitch went and hid for the rest of the day. After watching the mayhem for a while Harry put his wand away and walked back towards where Mr. Pinewood was still standing.

"Some of that looked pretty painful."

"I have a feeling that's not going to be the worst of it," Harry said with a grim little smile before nodding once and then Disapparating home.

Once there he sent Charlie a detailed message by owl and received an answer several hours later. Some serious planning was set in motion. Another message that arrived several days later took Harry's mind off of the Quidditch park. He was sitting in the library in his usual spot, Ginny was at the desk working on Charlie's revised manuscript when Kreacher carried in a rolled up message.

"This has arrived by owl for Master Harry."

"Thanks, Kreacher," Harry said as he accepted the piece of parchment.

He looked at the writing on the outside and felt a bit of a chill. It was from old Mrs. Figg by way of the Cauldron. He unrolled the sheet and read. It wasn't good news.

"What is it, Harry?"

"Uncle Vernon is in hospital and he's in a bad way. No one had asked her to but Mrs. Figg thought I should know and then could decide what I wanted to do."

"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked.

"I'll go see him. It's the right thing to do, don't you think?" Harry asked.

"I don't know that I would, but you're a much nicer person than I am when it comes to that sort of thing. You want me to come along?"

"No, I don't think so, sweetheart, but thanks for the offer. I'll spare you that," he replied.

So it was that the following morning Harry Disapparated from the front portico of the house to the front steps of the still hidden townhouse on Grimauld Place. From the address of the hospital that Mrs. Figg had provided he knew it was only about a mile away so he decided he'd walk it. He was dressed in full muggle regalia and had put some fivers in his pocket. Having spent so much of his time lately either at Hogwarts or at Meadow Crest he found the noise of the city a bit overwhelming at first. It took him the better part of half an hour to navigate his way through the people and traffic but he arrived safe and sound.

He approached the information counter and was told that Mr. Dursley was only able to see family. Harry identified himself as a nephew that had lived with the Dursley's since he was one. The officious looking nurse gave him a thorough once over, her eyes flicking to the scar on his forehead.

"Room 453. Down the hall to the lift, take it to the fourth floor, turn right, it'll be straight ahead."

"Thank you," Harry replied politely.

The directions, though perhaps grudgingly given, were spot on and Harry was soon standing just outside the open door to Uncle Vernon's room. It was a double but the other bed was currently unoccupied. There were no visitors. Harry stepped in as quietly as he could and was almost to the bedside when his uncle turned his head and fixed Harry with his bleary, but still beady, eyes.

"So, boy, come to see me laid low, have you?"

"No, Uncle Vernon, I came to see how you are doing," Harry replied mildly.

"Well, that should be obvious," came the testy reply.

Harry nodded once, taking in to the tubes in his uncle's arms, the various wires connected to a large monitoring device, that steadily beeped. There was also a tube under his nose which Harry assumed supplied oxygen to help with breathing.

"Heart attack?" Harry asked.

"More or less. I'm told I'm too old and too fat to be bustling about the factory yelling at everyone. How else will anything get done?"

"Too much of Aunt Petunia's good cooking, I suppose."

Uncle Vernon snorted.

"You know better than that, boy."

Harry just nodded, remembering that the better meals were usually by his own hand when he was dragooned into doing it.

"They tell me that if I do get out of this place, I'll have to lose at least ten stone, cut back on work. What's the point?"

"You'll still be alive, Uncle Vernon," Harry said as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

"If you can call it that," he replied then looked harder at Harry. "I can see you've grown a bit. That crazy old lady, Mrs. Figg, has told us a thing or two. You're not at that Ministry anymore are you?"

Harry shook his head and said,

"No, I did what I needed to there but it never felt right. I'm a Professor up at school now."

The older man's expression said it all, but Harry took it in stride. Before he could say anything more he heard footsteps behind him. He stood up and turned in time to see his Aunt Petunia come to a sudden halt just inside the door.

"Aunt Petunia," Harry said by way of greeting.

"Harry, what are you doing here?"

"I heard that Uncle Vernon was ill so I came to see him."

His aunt looked at him with that squint that Harry knew meant she was trying to find something to criticize in what he just said. The look faded away as she was unable to do so and without further comment she walked briskly past Harry to give her husband the barest peck on the forehead. Harry slid the chair a little forward in invitation for his aunt to sit down. Again she regarded him, looking for some sign of duplicity. She perched primly on the edge of the chair and said,

"So, Vernon, how are you getting on?"

"I'm still alive if barely, Petunia. Things are bit more interesting with the boy here."

Harry had pulled another chair up and was now sitting behind and to the side of his aunt. She looked back over her shoulder and said,

"Most likely trying to get back in our good graces to make sure his in your will."

Harry's eyebrows rose at this remark and when he looked to his uncle he saw him looking back as if in anticipation. Harry replied,

"Actually, nothing could be further from my mind. I guess you didn't realize, Aunt Petunia, that your sister married into a fairly wealthy family. And I was the sole heir. Add to that the fact that my godfather, Sirius Black, was the last of one of the richest families of our world, and that I inherited all that as well. Money is the last thing I need to worry about."

"No need to be rude to your elders, boy," Uncle Vernon said, sounding much like his old self but without the look on his face that usually meant he was getting ready to bring down the wrath of heaven.

"You're right, Uncle Vernon, and I apologize. Actually, if it wasn't for Aunt Petunia as my closest living relative I wouldn't have survived long enough for all that to happen, so thank you."

This took his aunt by surprise and the look on her face reminded Harry of how she looked just before they parted ways when the Dursleys had to be taken to a place of hiding.

"Well, I suppose you're welcome," she replied quietly.

"How's Dudley getting on?" Harry asked. "I haven't seen him since that day at the train station."

"He's getting on fairly well. He's the assistant to the loading dock foreman now. And it looks like he's going to be getting married one of these days," Uncle Vernon said.

"Really? That's terrific."

"You're married of course."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, knowing the unanswered wedding invitation told them that. "And I have a son. James. He was a year old back in April."

"So, your life has moved along, eh, boy?" his uncle asked.

"Yes, sir. There's been some bumps and bruises along the way. I have the scars to prove it, but it's been good for the most part. The Weasleys have been very, very good to me."

"Those redheads?" Aunt Petunia asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

Harry looked from his aunt to his uncle and back and got the feeling that all that needed to be said had been said. He stood up and put the chair away. He stepped up to the bedside and offered his hand to his uncle, who after hesitating, took it, if weakly.

"I hope you get better, Uncle Vernon. If you do what the doctors tell you, I'm sure you will."

To which his uncle just snorted. He then turned and before his aunt could react he bent down and kissed her briefly on the forehead and said again,

"Thank you."

He straightened up and began walking to the door when his uncle called to him hoarsely.

"Boy," and when Harry turned, "Harry, you have grown and more than a bit. And better than I would have imagined."

Harry offered a small smile and said,

"If you ever think you'd like to come out and visit your great-nephew just let Mrs. Figg know and we'll make the arrangements."

With that he turned and walked out of the room. He left the hospital and during the walk back to Grimauld Place he thought about what had just transpired. Aunt Petunia seemed little changed, suspecting Harry of trying to stay in the will, if he was ever in it to begin with. But Uncle Vernon seemed to offer him a least a little bit of respect, he even managed to call him 'Harry' once, instead of the usual 'boy'. It was probably all the medications they were giving him he thought with a laugh.

He was back at Meadow Crest in short order and both Ginny and Abagail were there waiting for him. So was Snuffles who was cavorting about, happy to see Harry, who bent down and began rubbing his head. This was fine for a few seconds but then, very much the puppy, Snuffles dropped to ground, rolled over with his paws in the air, begging for belly scratches. Harry couldn't help but laugh, but he did oblige. Ginny finally asked,

"How did it go, Harry? How is your uncle?"

"It went okay, but he's not doing so well. It's his heart. He's getting on in years, he's much too overweight and he's always upset about anything and everything. That would wear on even a dragon's heart."

"Do they think he'll recover?" she asked.

"He didn't say as such, but I'm guessing there is some optimism. He told me the doctors had said he'd need to lose over a hundred pounds, at least, and cut back his time at work. So they must be giving some thought to his getting out of there," Harry said.

"How did the conversation go, Harry," Abagail asked.

"That was actually very interesting, little one. Maybe it was the drugs they were giving him, but he was pretty mellow, for Uncle Vernon that is. He even managed to call me Harry and pay me a compliment. Seems I'm growing up better than he would have given me credit for."

"And your aunt?"

"Not much changed there. She suspected I was there just to stay in, or get in, Uncle Vernon's will," he said with a shrug.

Ginny made a rude noise but offered nothing further. Then she reached out with her hand and said,

"Come on. We have some lunch ready for you. And you can tell me what you and Charlie are cooking up. Apparently he wants to hold a team meeting here tonight."

"Ah, excellent. Yeah, I'll tell you all about it while we eat."

Which he did. By the time he was done Ginny was scowling and Abagail was trying to keep from laughing.

"I'll agree with you that something needs to be done about that lot, Harry, but just what do you have in mind. You have that look on your face like you had when you were getting ready to go after those smugglers."

"I just thought we could go in there and teach them a thing or two about how to play the game properly and how to conduct themselves in a public place," Harry replied mildly.

"And what makes you think they'll even want to play us once they see us? Especially you?"

"Well, my love, that's what disguise spells are for, aren't they?"

The look on his face was so full of innocence that Ginny was the one to start laughing this time. It was about seven o'clock when the rest of the team arrived. They went into the living room and Harry began to lay out for the rest what he had told Charlie and what he thought should be done. Charlie then spoke about what he had discussed with his friend Eddy, who it turned out was familiar with the type of Quidditch flyers that Harry had seen.

"I comes from one of those kinds of areas, Harry. Everythin' about 'em is rough and tumble, not just their Quidditch. I'm pretty sure we could 'andle 'em in the air but ya best be ready for some dirty tricks from the ground," Eddy said.

"Hmm, that's something I hadn't considered. What do you suggest?"

"I've an idea, Harry," Ron offered. "I'd guess more than a few off duty patrollers could just happen to be there to take in the matches. I'm sure their sense of civic duty would compel them to keep an eye on a rowdy bunch like that."

Harry saw the small smile on his best friends face. Harry was sure that first thing tomorrow morning the duty rooms in London and Hogsmeade would be buzzing. He was pretty sure that the little tea room the Aurors used for breaks would hold a similar discussion. Having set the general theme for the coming encounter the flyers got into the details.

The following day Harry exchanged a few hasty messages with Dunbar Oglethorpe. The Quidditch park had been spelled to permit visitors only between sunrise and sunset. Anyone attempting to Apparate onto the property before or after would find themselves somewhere along the perimeter of the property. Harry arranged for a slightly earlier arrival to ensure the scenario would unfold as planned. Therefore, just as the sun was breaking the horizon that Saturday, there was already a group of flyers hovering above pitch four when a rapid series of popping sounds reverberated in the early morning air.

"'ere, wot you lot doin' up there?"

This came from a scruffy looking wizard who was the first to notice the flyers circling lazily above. Now anyone who knew the Weasley Potter Flyers would only have been able to say that their general shape and distribution of witches and wizards was the same. There wasn't a red hair in sight. Harry's unruly black hair now looked to the world like a tight cap of mousy brown and his scar was nowhere to be seen. His signature round glasses were replaced with a smaller pair behind flying goggles. Bill kept his scars visible but otherwise he was unrecognizable. As team captain, Charlie dipped lower and said,

"We're here to play Quidditch, you interested?"

"Well go play sum'ere else, we play 'ere."

"This is the public park isn't it and this is the unreserved pitch right? First come first served."

"But we always play 'ere," the man said belligerently, his courage bolstered by the other flyers bunching up around him.

"Guess you weren't fast enough today. So what will it be, you want to play or not?"

There was a quickly muttered conversation amongst the flyers on the ground. Harry had been watching the growing group on the ground as the spectators began to arrive. They bunched in small groups watching what was unfolding, talking among themselves. Harry also noticed a not insignificant number of witches and wizards drifting in from other parts of the park in ones or twos or threes. They had the carefully studied look of indifference that Harry recognized easily.

"Oi, you. Alright, we play fer the pitch. Winner stays, losers go 'ome."

"Alright. Who's going to referee?"

"Wot? We don't use no referee. This 'ere's a man's game."

Harry noticed for the first time that there were no witches in the group of those dressed to fly. This was getting more and more interesting.

"Fine. Honor system it is," Charlie said as he drifted back into the air.

This comment got a lot of muffled laughs from the hooligans. A box containing the needed balls was dragged to the center of the pitch while seven flyers rose from the rag tag group and two descended from the challengers. Harry and Eddy would be substitutes. Harry had decided he could best 'orchestrate' things from the ground and he would come in as needed.

The bludgers and snitch took off into the sky as one of the spectators took the Quaffle to throw it skyward to start the match. Harry had 'nudged' one of the bludgers closer to Bill and as soon as the Quaffle was released their plan was hatched. Ginny, relying on her almost supernatural quickness dove on the ascending Quaffle and grabbed it before anyone on the other side could react. Bill had darted toward the nearby bludger and hammered it toward the lead chaser, the belligerent man who started the whole row, and caught him a stunning blow on the shoulder that pitched him cleanly off his broom to land with a thud on the grass below.

This opening move set the tone for the remainder of the match. Bill and George kept up a relentless barrage of moderately cooperative bludgers that were inflicting heavy damage on the opposition. Ginny, El and Angelina were making a mockery of the defense. Their near professional level of play had them flying rings around the amateurs, whose attempts at replacing competence with aggression simply put them in the way of repeated bludger strikes, collisions with their own teammates and the occasional missed place beater bat swing. With no referee there was no one they could protest too other than their opponents who were in no mood for discussion. Substitutions for the hooligans were frequent.

Harry had another trick up his sleeve. He was sure that he and Charlie would clearly outclass whatever seekers they put up but even a mediocre seeker might get lucky and catch an old, tired snitch. So he brought along one of his own. A professional grade snitch. He drifted away from his spot on the ground and while everyone was watching the melee in the air he caused the original snitch to move away into the nearby trees and he released the other. Charlie had the time of his life chasing after the suddenly very elusive golden ball, with the other seeker trailing along hopelessly behind. After a while, Charlie and Harry switched out and Eddy substituted for Angelina. Eddy was fast but not as agile and the opposing Chasers thought they saw an opening to put one of the damnably frustrating flyers out of the match.

What they didn't realize was that Eddy came to the game at Hogwarts as a young brawler himself. It took two years of hard work by the Gryffindor team to 'smooth' out his rough edges, but he never forgot. What resulted was an excellent general purpose flyer who also knew every dirty trick in the book and how to mix the two. In quick succession two of the hooligan chasers had to leave the pitch as the result of repulsed assaults on Eddy. Even one of their beaters was sent off wobbling in the sky when he tried a direct approach to getting Eddy out of the game.

Ron was not without his opportunities either. When one of their chasers did get an opportunity for a scoring run, few and far between as they were, they tried to use it as a way to put a man down, in this case Ron. Normally a chaser would veer off or shoot past the keeper when the Quaffle was released toward the goal ring. In these instances the increasingly frustrated hooligans would drive right at Ron hoping to scare him off the ball in a game of wizards 'chicken'. Apparently, his years as a Patroller and Auror trainee had set his 'chicken' threshold pretty high. He would stand his ground, or air as the case may be, and just as contact might be made he would flip his broom as he swatted or caught the Quaffle, bring the bristle end around hard to slam the opposing flyer from behind.

On two occasions the swatted flyer wound up making contact with the goal post, one of whom had to leave the match. This beating went on for nearly the full three hours. Finally, on a substitution Harry came in and decided to end it with a flourish. Up against the fourth seeker form the other side Harry used his eyes closed trick and went after the snitch with a vengeance. Whether spurred on by his desire to teach this bunch a lesson, his joy of being able to let loose with everything he had, or perhaps even to give that other part of him the feeling of flying flat out, he put on a show that had anyone who was watching staring open mouthed. He was locked onto the snitch like a muggle missile. He was looping, barrel rolling, climbing and diving. He even pulled off a 'Potter bootleg' near the end that had a few of the more perceptive in the crowd growing uneasy. Finally, at approximately two feet off the grass he grabbed the snitch just as it tried to head skyward. He took a quick victory lap just above the heads of the crowd and then joined his teammates as they assembled in a hover about ten feet off the ground.

"'ere, just who the 'ell are you blokes, anyways?" the original belligerent fellow said, standing on the grass below them, cradling his arm.

Harry drifted down while the others came in behind him but without landing. Holding his broom he walked towards the man, letting his disguise fade away. When the combination of hair, glasses and scar became clearly evident everyone who could see him took a step back. Likewise those still in the air let their disguises fade away as well.

"Does this help you answer your question?" Harry asked in deceptively mild voice.

The scruffy wizard was staring at him wide eyed, any thought of a confrontation erased from his mind.

"Now, I'll explain this to you once and then I don't ever want to have to deal with you lot again. This is a public park, for everyone's use, not just a bunch of louts who think that they can take over if they so choose. You've been lucky up to now because people are generally not inclined to want trouble. You made a mistake and got me upset. I don't mind a little trouble, I've dealt with trouble before. What just happened was a way to get your attention and teach you a little lesson. If you want to come up here and pound away on each other with your miserable excuse for Quidditch, that's fine with me, but you play by the rules like anyone else. And don't give me any of this nonsense about mixing up the teams so you get more time slots. That's over. You lost. Go home," Harry said the last two words with just a bit of the dragon added in.

The injured wizard stepped back as if he had taken a physical blow. His jawed worked a few times as if to say something but no words came out. He kept back peddling through the small crowd which itself was pulling back and a number of pops indicated that more than a few had already heeded his words and were going home, or at least somewhere else. In short order the only ones left were the Weasley Potter Flyers and a few remaining off duty members of the Department of Magical Law enforcement. Ron was speaking to those.

Bill had come up to stand with Harry while the others hung back just a bit. Bill looked down at this brother and said,

"That was quite a beating we gave them, Harry. Are you sure it was all necessary?"

"I'm more worried that it wasn't enough. Those types can be really difficult to get through to sometimes. But one way or another I'd have done it. They were just a bunch of bullies, and Bill, I really don't like bullies. I've dealt with them enough in my life. Dudley and his pals from school, my aunt and uncle, Draco Malfoy and his Goons, all bullies. Even Professor Snape, despite what he did on Dumbledore's behalf, was a bully. So was my dad in his own way," he said the last softly. "And Voldemort was the biggest bully of them all."

He said the last and then looked up into the scarred, grim face of his oldest brother and said,

"I really hate bullies."


	16. Chapter 16

A Special Message for all the loyal fans of Swissdog:

I would like to take this time from my busy schedule preparing for the upcoming term, Quidditch camp and the work of the Tome Study Group to deliver this message. The family and I here at Meadow Crest have become increasingly concerned with the mental and physical well being of the mad genius who has taken it upon himself to chronicle my life's adventures since that momentous day when the combined forces of good defeated Tom Riddle and his gang of thugs. It has been our good fortune to have had repeated contact with the gentlemen over the years but of late we have noticed that he appears to be suffering from what can best be described as 'needing a good long kip'. He is not a young man anymore and the effort of recording the details of my life and that of my family and friends, students and colleagues, has taken its toll. As such we were compelled to act and this resulted in an intervention of sorts in the past weekend. Although at first extremely resistant, through the combined efforts of my guardian angels, my mothers and a direct threat of a visit from a certain green dragon, Swissdog has reluctantly agreed to a one week leave of absence. In addition, under no circumstances is he to be allowed near a keyboard. The only chronicle related efforts that will be permitted are those that can be done in relative seclusion with a pen and notebook. His dear companion, Maribelwho, has agreed to enforce this edict, backed by all the resources of my former colleagues at the Ministry, who have been enlisted for this purpose. The location of this week of respite is classified but we are led to believe it involves a pair of famous rodents, two dogs, and a rather vociferous duck. It is our fervent hope that this period of rest will have him back in fine fettle and ready to continue his work on my behalf. We expect his return within a fortnight of this posting.

Very respectfully yours,

Harry James Potter

Professor of Magic,

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry


	17. Chapter 17

Professor Potter, Chapter 17

"How are you feeling this morning, sweetheart?" Ginny asked.

"I'm feeling fine, love," Harry replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Why?" Ginny responded, sounding a little shocked. "Don't I always ask how you are in the morning?"

"Yes, but there's more than the usual concern in your voice this morning," Harry said with his characteristic half smile.

"Very well observed, Professor," she said with her own smile. "It's just that you seemed in rather a grim mood after we came home from the Quidditch park yesterday."

"Hmm, you're right, I was feeling a bit grim. I'm never pleased when I have to be Harry the Hammer but I couldn't see any other way. I don't think those fellows would have been very open to a reasoned debate about the whole thing."

"No," Ginny said with a laugh, "I don't imagine they would have been. But think of it this way, sweetheart. By now it's got to be fairly well known that you've taken a personal interest in how things are done at the park. After the beating we gave those hoo…hooli…"

"Hooligans."

"Yes, thank you. After that, no one is going to step out of line for a very long time. Add to that the fact that we did it in disguise, they won't be able to tell whether you're there or not so it will only take an occasional visit to keep the peace. Well done you, say I."

"Thank you," Harry said with a slight bow from his chair. "I'm glad we've got it settled. Quidditch camp starts in a week and I wouldn't want that nonsense hanging over our heads," Harry said.

Harry had a very specific and personal reason for wanting to have a clear head for the upcoming camp which was going to begin the following day. He was going to be bringing young Ted along to give him a taste of Quidditch at the school level. The youngster was taking an avid interest in the sport and Harry wanted to help encourage him. Mrs. Tonks was going to send him through the floo network first thing in the morning and Harry would take him via Side Along Apparation up to the school for the day.

In preparation Harry spent the day inspecting his Quidditch gear. He polished his broom, checked for damaged or missing bristles. Teddy promised that the broom he had been given would be in perfect condition. Harry recalled some of the looks and comments that had been made by some of the visiting instructors during previous camps about the poor condition of some of the campers gear.

Harry knew that the usual members of the Tome Study Group wouldn't be there today. Professor McGonagall had put her foot down and insisted that the teachers make sure their plans and materials were ready for the upcoming term and this curtailed their work for the moment. This was fine by Harry. He also knew that Ginny and Abagail were working on the translation of the four essays pulled out of the larger, jumbled section that Professor Slughorn had given him. He wanted to remain blissfully ignorant of its content until he had at least spent the day with Ted at the camp.

Right on time the following morning, just as Harry was about to begin his breakfast, the back door of the house burst open and a blur rushed into the room. Ted came to a halt at Harry's side.

"Hiya, Harry."

"Hello there, young fellow. All ready for your first Quidditch camp?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then where's all your gear?"

"I left it in the mud room. I didn't know if you wanted it all in here," Ted replied.

"We'll grab it before we go. Have you had breakfast this morning?" Harry asked.

"Yes, sir, but I wouldn't mind a little more," Ted said with a smile.

"I can well imagine," Harry commented. "Nibs, can you bring something suitable for a young flyer?"

"Certainly, Master Harry," the little elf said.

Harry limited himself to just two helpings as he didn't want to load himself down with a day of flying ahead of him. Ted did an admirable job a plate full himself. Then they gathered up their gear, dressed in most of it and carrying their brooms, and wished Ginny and Abagail farewell. Ginny was scheduled to make several appearances at the camp over the next two weeks but was going to leave the opening day to the 'boys' as she put it.

In the blink of an eye Harry had the two of them at the gates to Hogwarts and they stood there a moment as Ted took it all in. He looked at the gates with the intricately carved figures atop the stone pillars on either side. He looked up at the majestic castle close up for the first time. He had made several visits to the memorial park with his grandmother but they had never ventured this close to the school. They weren't here to sight see as she had said.

"Wow," was all the boy said.

"Yup, that about says it all. It won't be long until you're up here, young fellow."

"You're sure I'm going to get a letter, Harry?"

"Are you kidding? If for no other reason they can't let you go running around changing your face every ten minutes without some formal training," Harry said looking down at his godson seriously.

Teddy looked back at him wide eyed and then laughed when Harry winked at him. With Harry's arm over Ted's shoulder they walked together through the gates and over to the Quidditch stadium. Ted's head was constantly in motion, taking in every detail he could find. When they stepped out of the tunnel and onto the grass of the pitch itself Harry could hear the muttered 'cool'.

The stadium was already buzzing with activity. Young flyers were in small groups chatting, checking out new equipment purchased that summer, exchanging stories or pointing to various members of the volunteer staff that they recognized from the newspapers, magazines or matches they've attended.

"Harry, Ted, over here," Bill called out to them, standing next to another man dressed in plain flying robes.

"Good morning, Bill, how are you?" Harry asked as they approached.

"Great, thanks, Harry. Looks like a fine day for Quidditch," Bill said with a big grin. "Harry, this is Aidan Lynch. I think you might recall him."

"Recall him? After watching his performance in the World Cup? Of course I do. It's great to see you again, Mr. Lynch."

"Top o' the mornin' to ya, Harry. And we'll have none of that 'Mr.' malarkey. It's just Aidan to me friends. And who's this young rascal with his mouth open and his eyes a poppin'," the legendary seeker asked with a big smile.

"This is my godson, Ted Lupin."

"Pleased to meet you, young squire."

Ted silently took the offered hand. As young as he was, he was already acquiring an extensive knowledge of Quidditch and its stars. He was well aware of just who he was shaking hands with. Harry couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the usually very talkative boy standing there tongue tied. Lynch laughed more openly and gave Ted a gentle friendly cuff on the shoulder.

"Don't you worry about it, lad. You'll find your tongue soon enough. Why don't you hop on that broom of yours and show us what you can do?" Lynch said.

"Y..yes, sir," Ted replied and then he mounted his broom and took off, heading down towards the far end of the pitch where there was plenty of open space.

Showing more sense than one might expect for a youngster in such a situation he kept his flying under control and concentrated on executing what he knew well as opposed to trying to show off. As Harry watched he could only smile. A comment from the Irish legend caught his ear.

"He shows fine mastery of the basics. Makes me wonder just who's been coachin' him."

Harry turned and saw the mischievous glint in the seeker's eye. Harry smiled in return.

"He's out to our house rather often and we have space to fly so my wife and I have been helping him as we can."

Lynch looked over at Bill and said,

"'As we can', the man says. The famous Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley both as private coaches. If the boy has any talent at all, he'll do very well for himself, I'm thinkin'."

The three turned and watched as Ted came in for a landing. He stood looking at them expectantly.

"Well flown, young Lupin. But I'll offer you this. Don't be tryin' anything too fancy for a while. You're still growing and a full size broom behaves differently than that cut down model. Concentrate on the basics and when you can fly in your sleep you'll be ready to learn the tricks of the trade."

"Yes, sir, and thank you, sir."

"You're most certainly welcome, lad."

This encounter set the tone for the rest of the day. Based on his level of basic skills Ted was set with a group of other competent soon to be first years and he spent the day receiving expert advice to hone what he knew to a fine edge. While he was being worked hard it was obvious he was having the time of his life and being around so many other youngsters was as much of a treat.

Unfortunately the day did not end as happily as it began. Late in the afternoon Ted's group was being taken through a drill to help them avoid bludger attacks. They were working in several groups of threes and as Ted was making his run a flyer from one of the other trios, either through fatigue or carelessness, veered into Ted, hitting him hard. It also pushed him directly into the path of the bludger and before anyone could react the boy took a glancing blow to the head, knocking him off his broom while he was a dozen feet in the air.

Harry had been speaking with a group of older seekers when he heard the shout go up and when he turned he saw that Ted was already on the ground in a heap. He ran over and got there just as a healer reached the boy from the other side.

"Please stay back, sir," the man in white robes said politely but firmly.

He knelt down and began to examine Ted while Harry stood by helplessly. The healer's wand and muttered incantations soon told the tale. He looked up at the small crowd of staff and students that had gathered around.

"It's serious but nothing that can't be dealt with. We need to get him up to the hospital wing. If you'd clear a path please," the wizard said as he stood up and with his wand levitated the unconscious boy and began floating him towards the exit.

Harry fell in behind to follow Ted up to the hospital wing when a young wizard-to-be in flying robes ran up beside him.

"Sir, Professor Potter, sir. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

Harry's head whipped to the side to look at the boy without stopping.

"Not now, if you please," was all he said but the look on his face brought the boy up short, eyes wide and trembling.

Harry returned his attention to the inert form of his godson as it floated alongside the healer. He could see that a bruise was developing on the side of his head and his right leg hung at an odd angle midway between the knee and ankle. It took relatively little time to make the trip but to Harry it was the longest walk he ever took. Madame Pomfrey met them at the front door having been alerted somehow and she spared Harry a brief sympathetic look before falling in on Ted's other side. In a few minutes they were at the wing and as the wizard healer guided Ted inside Madame Pomfrey turned and held up a hand.

"This is one time you'll have to wait outside, Harry."

Harry was about to protest but he thought better of it and nodded. But he didn't sit down. He paced back and forth in the waiting room. He knew he needed to get a message to Andromeda but he didn't want to take the time to go up to the owlry. He walked back and forth for a quarter hour or so when the door to the patient's ward opened and Madame Pomfrey came out.

"He's had a nasty knock to the head, Harry, and is mildly concussed. He also broke his leg in the fall but we've seen that to rights. It may be sore for a day or so but nothing lasting. Based on my extensive experience with bludger injuries I'd say he won't wake up until sometime tomorrow."

Harry took in a deep breath and blew it out again.

"Not great news, but certainly better than it could have been. I guess I better get a message to his grandmother right away. As always, thanks, Madame Pomfrey."

"As always, you're welcome, Harry. I'm not sure which is worse. Seeing you in one of those beds in there, or having you out here pacing about worrying about someone else," she said, laying a hand on his arm.

Harry responded with a half smile and then turned and left the waiting room and headed for the owlry. He was glad he still kept to the habit of carrying a small notebook and pen everywhere he went. He was about halfway to his destination when a small, unfamiliar house elf popped into place right in front of him.

"Does Professor Potter require any assistance?"

"Um, I was just going to the owlry to send a message."

"Flibbit can deliver your message much faster than an owl. The house elves know the young one is injured. The house elves wish to assist."

"That would be brilliant, thank you," Harry said as he took out his notebook and began to write a message to Andromeda Tonks.

"Please take this to Andromeda Tonks. You can find her?"

"It is done," Flibbit said and disappeared.

Once more Harry was quietly amazed at the abilities of the house elves. He figured he would walk down towards the gates and meet Andromeda. He was nearly there when the familiar figure of the older witch popped into view. Her pace was determined if not necessarily hurried as Harry hastened in her direction.

"Andromeda, I'm so sorry. If I had known…" he started but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Harry, compose yourself. This isn't the first time something like this has happened," she said as she fell in beside him and they began walking up to the castle. "The boy has already had two overnight stays at St. Mungo's and at least half a dozen trips to the emergency room there. Falling out of trees, running into things, all manner of mischief."

"But I never heard about any of that," Harry replied.

"You have enough to concern yourself with, my boy. It comes with raising a young boy, or a young tomboy. Nymphadora was on a first name basis with half the staff of St. Mungo's by the time she was done with Hogwarts."

"Perhaps but I still think I should have been able to do something," Harry said in frustration.

"Harry, you may be the most powerful wizard to come along since the dawn of time," she said with a tight smile, "but that still doesn't make you a god. You can't be everywhere at once, watching everything. You're a father now and pretty soon that boy of yours will be getting himself into all kinds of mischief. The best you can hope for is that as the opportunity for greater and greater trouble grows, as he does, you've done all you can to teach him some sense and he understands how to use it. That's all any parent can do, really."

They walked on in silence until they arrived at the waiting room. Harry knocked softly on the door to the patients' ward. In a moment the door opened and Madame Pomfrey beckoned them in. Harry waved Ted's grandmother ahead and he made to stay outside.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Harry. You're as much the boy's family as anyone. Come along."

Her tone was that of not even contemplating his objecting so he just followed along behind her into the dimly lit ward. Ted was not alone, somewhere along the line another flyer had been brought in and she was holding what Harry recognized as a cold pack to her forehead. She looked up and seeing Harry, smiled weakly. He recognized her as a fourth year from Ravenclaw.

"Ah, Mrs. Tonks. I thought I recognized the lad. It's been a year or two since I last saw him. Nothing too terribly serious this time. The leg break has been mended but he'll wake up with a headache sometime in the morning if I don't miss my guess."

"Thank you, Doctor. I'd say it's nice to see you but the circumstances don't really warrant it, do they?" Andromeda said with that tight smile.

"No, I suppose not. Well, I've done all I can here. Back to the pitch for me," the wizard said as he left the ward with a general nod of farewell.

Harry could see that the color was coming back to Ted's face and he appeared to be resting comfortably. As he looked down on the boy he supposed this was how his family felt each time they had to come visit him in various sick beds.

"Harry, I'm going to sit with him for a while. Why don't you get back to the stadium? You can't do anything for him here and there are others waiting for you. You can tell them how Ted is doing," she said mildly.

Harry understood he was being dismissed, but he knew the intentions were from kindness. Andromeda knew he would just sit and brood and that would make him unfit company. He gave a nod and turned and left the ward. When he got back to the pitch he answered the many inquiries as to the boy's condition. Aidan Lynch said he would stop by for a visit before he went home. Harry sought out the face he knew he needed to find. The young wizard who had caused the collision and then tried to apologize was easy enough to find. He was trying so hard to be invisible he stood out like a red rose in a garden of lilies. Harry beckoned the boy to him with a crooked finger.

"Y…yes, sir?" the boy said when he came to stand in front of Harry.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry I snapped at you like that before. I know you were just trying to say you were sorry but I was preoccupied with my godson's condition. But I still shouldn't have spoken like that to you."

"No, sir. I'm the one who should be sorry. It was all my fault. I wasn't paying attention and lost control of my broom."

"What's your name?"

"Anderson, sir. I'm just starting at Hogwarts this year."

"Well, Mr. Anderson, I hope in the future you'll be a bit more careful and pay more attention to whatever it is you happen to be doing," Harry said.

"Absolutely sir. The coach of our group gave me the devil after you left," the boy said with some chagrin.

Harry gave the boy a tight smile and waved him on his way. The day's session was winding down so Harry took his leave of Bill and headed for home. He appeared on the front portico and the door swung open as Kreacher bowed him in. Ginny hurried up to greet him but stopped when she saw that he was alone and the look on his face.

"Harry, where's Teddy? What happened?"

"Ted is in the hospital ward at Hogwarts. A concussion and broken leg. The leg is healed but he isn't expected to wake up until sometime tomorrow morning."

"Oh, dear. The poor little fellow but it could have been worse I suppose," she said almost matter-of-factly.

"Ginny! How could you say something like that?"

"Harry, you of all people should know how dangerous Quidditch can be. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen players floated off the pitch with all manner of injuries. Myself included."

"You? I never heard once of you being hurt."

"Well, of course you didn't. With all the things you had going on, I wasn't about to add that to the list. Any time I got banged up they let Mum know if it was anything serious. Just a time or two. I know for a fact that Eleanor has been hospitalized three separate times. If all little Ted has to remember this by is a bump and bit of a headache he's well ahead of the game."

Harry was having a hard time believing what he was hearing. Two members of his family suffering multiple injuries and him never hearing about it. What else was going on or had happened that he didn't know about but should. A dry voice in the back of his mind suggested such thinking could lead to paranoia and was better forgotten. He took a deep breath and then said,

"In the future, please don't hold such things back from me. My dance card isn't so full that I can't deal with something like this. Please?" he asked.

"Of course, Harry. Come along and have a cuppa before dinner, it's still an hour or so until we eat."

Ginny hooked her arm in his and walked him to the living room where they were soon met by Nibs carrying in a tray with tea and some biscuits. Harry settled into his usual chair by the fireplace and sipped at his tea. As usual it had a very calming affect and he began to wind down a bit.

"Feeling better?"

"A bit, thank you. By the way, where's Abagail?" he asked.

"She's out on an assignment for the builders. She expects she'll be home in time for dinner," Ginny responded.

"How's her book illustrations coming along?"

"The first drafts are all finished. She turned the material over to the publisher the end of last week. They'll contact her for any changes. She's getting started on more work for Charlie's dragon book."

Harry nodded his response. They were still about half an hour away from dinner when the front door opened and slammed shut and they heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

"Hey, you two, I expected to see Ted here waiting for dinner. What's going on?" she said breathlessly as she entered the living room.

"Ted got hurt today, sweetheart," Ginny said. "Nothing too serious but he'll be overnight in the hospital wing at Hogwarts."

"Oh, no, not again. That kid spends more time banged up than he does whole," she said in dismay.

"Yes, I guess he does. Imagine my surprise to find that out today," Harry said mildly.

Abagail walked over and sat on the cushioned arm of Harry's chair and took hold of his free hand.

"Oh, Harry, don't go on so. You know that we instinctively try to shield you from things so you can do what you need to do."

Harry looked up at her, her position putting her head above his. He narrowed his eyes and said,

"Well, young miss, I'm asking you to stop as of now. At least where these sorts of matters are concerned. I'm a big boy and can handle it. And correct me if I'm wrong but did I just hear you open the front door for yourself? What happened to Kreacher?"

Abagail giggled behind her hand, a gesture that reminded Harry of when she was so much younger.

"It's a little joke I learned I can play on the house elves. I discovered that if I think 'in' they can't do whatever it is they do to know we are coming. I do it just before I Disapparate from wherever I am and I show up unannounced and just let myself in. I know it's wicked but it's so much fun to see the looks they give me when they see me in the house."

"What do you mean think 'in'?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure how to explain it exactly but I just sort of pull myself into myself," she said with a shrug.

Harry just shook his head, wondering what lay in store for this most unusual of witches. Dinner passed rather quietly. While both Abagail and Ginny took Teddy's latest injury in stride, Harry was still disturbed by it and the knowledge that much had gone on about which he had been kept in the dark. It was with great relief therefore when he was able to greet Andromeda and Ted later the next afternoon when they stopped at Meadow Crest on their way home.

"Sorry for the scare, Harry, but this sorta thing happens to me a lot," Ted said after Harry finished hugging him.

"Yes, so I found out. How come you never mentioned it to me?"

"Nan thought it was better that you didn't know what a walking disaster area I am," he said with a laugh. "She's afraid you'll spend all your time trying to find a spell to protect me from myself."

"Well, I could build that dungeon we talked about a while ago and lock you up down there for your own good."

Ted's eyes went wide and then he laughed some more.

"Look at this, Harry," Ted said as he held up a Quidditch glove. "Aidan Lynch signed this for me and left it last night."

"That's brilliant, Ted. Take good care of it. It's worth a lot and will be worth a lot more as time passes."

Grandmother and grandson stayed for dinner and Harry was in a decidedly better mood seeing the boy had taken no more serious harm than a slight headache. When Abagail had come bounding down the stairs to greet them she gave the boy a big hug to which he responded,

"Ease off, Abs. My head still rings a bit when I move it around."

"Oh, you poor baby. Maybe this will make it feel better," and she kissed him on the side of his head where the bruise was still visible. "Or maybe this," and she gave him several more on the side of his face.

"Bleah, stop it, you're getting my face all wet."

The adults all laughed. Apparently, kisses from a beautiful girl didn't hold the allure to a youngster that it would later in life. He was rubbing the side of his face with his sleeve.

Harry spent the last three days of the week at camp helping out, but came home for dinner each evening. There were no more serious mishaps and he had purposely taken the weekend off to enjoy it since school would be starting all too soon. He was sitting in his favorite chair in the library when Ginny walked in carrying several sheets of parchment.

"Here you are, Harry. Abagail and I copied out the four separate sections for you. The other three were very straight forward. This one," Ginny held up the sheets of parchment in one hand, "is a bit different. I'm sure we have it all ordered properly and worded properly but I'm not sure why because I really don't understand any of it."

"I'd think you weren't supposed to. At least not yet," Harry answered as he took the pages from his wife.

"But we were making a copy of a copy of a copy, Harry," she protested.

"Love, I couldn't possibly imagine the extent of his magic."

Harry settled back in his chair and began to read. Ginny sat in a chair opposite and watched him. She saw his face settle into a frown of sorts that she recognized as his 'something serious is going on' as opposed to his 'I'm getting really angry' look. When he read to the end of the last page of parchment he stopped for a moment and then went back to the beginning and read it through a second time. When he was finished for the second time he set the parchment down and looked back at Ginny.

"And you didn't understand any of this?"

"No, Harry. Neither of us did. We talked about it a bit. It was like we could see the words and knew how one phrase ended and the next began but we just couldn't get our heads around the whole thing."

"Maybe you will now," he said as he held it out to her.

"Just read it to me," she said.

Harry pursed his lips and then nodded. He began to read. As he did, his voice took on a tone she didn't think she had ever heard before. If this was how he sounded when he was lecturing at Hogwarts his students must be spellbound, she thought. This is what she heard.

"All living things strive. Acceptance of this fundamental fact is essential to the understanding of why creatures large and small behave the way they do. In all but those creatures that possess intelligence this striving manifests itself as the perpetual struggle to survive and continue their lines down through the eons. For those races that possess awareness of self, they also possess the ability to think beyond the need to merely survive. Therein lies the greatest danger for often that which motivates them, us, to go beyond mere survival emanates from that dark well which exists in us all.

"The next essential fact which most be understood is that there is no dark magic, or evil magic. It is all simply magic. That which we call darkness, or evil, comes from the practitioner. Even those spells and potions which we have come to associate with darkness are simply extensions of the natural world that have been manipulated by the original crafter to produce the desired outcome. Creatures which we consider to be evil are simply behaving according to their nature. We consider them evil because they often act counter to our wishes or safety. In my very long experience I have never found an instance where a dark magician, wizard, sorcerer, what have you, was not the source, the originator, the instigator of his own dire deeds. It is true that there have been those who, by some enchantment, have become the tools of another, but they are merely that, tools. The enchanter is the source and therefore bears the responsibility, not the enchantment.

"You who read these words may wonder why I, known as Merlin, feel it is necessary for you to do so. If my plans have borne the fruit that I so greatly hoped, you yourself possess the capacity for great magic and more importantly, that you possess an even greater capacity for understanding. My fondest hope is that you willingly pass on to others what you understand. And you must understand this. No act of darkness, of evil, must be excused or forgiven. For each such act is an act of betrayal. A betrayal of our shared humanity, magical or no. A betrayal of a gift, from whatever source you choose to believe, that is capable of lifting us to great heights, but carries the potential to plunge us all to the deepest depths.

"I charge you, therefore, as the holder of all I have come to know to champion the cause of creation against the threat from the darkness within."

As he had before, he set the sheets down in his lap when he was finished.

"Good lord, Harry."

"Just so, I'm afraid. Or something very much like it," he replied quietly.

Ginny cocked her head at him a moment until she realized the unintended meaning that her husband had heard in her words.

"Dumbledore was right," she said barely above a whisper. "You are the heir of Merlin."


	18. Chapter 18

Professor Potter, Chapter 18

Harry got up from his favorite chair in the library to go to the kitchen to get himself a cup of tea. Ginny was getting James ready for bed and as was his habit, he didn't call on the house elves for service, since he was by himself. It was a little silly in his mind to have something brought to him that he was capable of getting for himself. Having tea served when you had guests was one thing. Having it done while you were alone was just plain lazy. As he passed by the dining room he noticed Abagail standing by the table which appeared to be covered with papers of some kind.

"Hello, there, little one. What have you got going on here?"

"Hiya, Harry. I'm going over my illustrations for that children's book I've been working on," she replied over her shoulder.

"I thought Ginny told me you had turned in all that work to the publisher," he said, a bit perplexed.

"Those were the first drafts, Harry. They had a couple of small changes they wanted me to make and the author asked me to add two new ones."

"Ah, I stand corrected. She did say they were first drafts. So it sounds as if they liked what you did."

"Yes. They have a couple of other projects coming up in the next year or so that they'd like me to work on," she replied happily.

"That's great. How's it coming with the Salisbury construction people?" he asked.

Abagail made a bit of a rude noise. She looked up at Harry and said,

"At the risk of being unkind, the people wanting the house have no idea. I went through an entire sketch pad the other day, most of it trying to help the building people convince this couple that what they wanted was physically impossible, even with magical help. You and Ginny were much easier to work with."

"You mean Ginny. I didn't have a whole lot to do with it," Harry said with a smile.

As Abagail was talking, Harry's eyes were roaming over the illustrations. As usual he marveled at the quality of the artwork. He got the impression the characters she drew could almost walk off the pages.

"What's the story behind all your artwork, if I may ask?"

"You certainly may," she said with an impish little grin. "It's about a child in a muggle family growing up to find out she's magical. When I first met the author she said it was a bit of an autobiography since she's a witch from a non magical family. She had the idea for the book years ago, but was too afraid to try and get it published during the Voldemort years," she said looking up at Harry. "She hoped that if children from magic families read it they'd be more accepting when they meet kids from non magical families. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does and it's a brilliant idea. Please tell her I'd like to buy the first one off the press, signed by her."

"I think she'd be happy to give you one, Harry."

"No, most authors don't make much money so I'll pay for it," he said.

Abagail smiled at him and gave him a one arm hug around his waist which he returned along with a kiss on the top of her head. Then he left her to her work and went to get his tea.

Harry was looking forward to his last Saturday before school started. It had been a little while since the family had had a gathering so he and Ginny decided to have one before he and Bill got tied up with school. Bill was scheduled to referee the first match for the camp pickup games that morning and Charlie wasn't needed since a number of volunteers had signed up for the series of matches that weekend so the whole family would be available.

Late Saturday morning Ron and Hermione were the first to arrive. Ron looked in good spirits but he seemed tired. After an enthusiastic hug from Hermione Harry looked at his best friend with a knowing grin and said,

"They've been working you pretty hard haven't they?"

"Too right, mate. A lot more physical training lately. They say we need to catch up to what Aurors have to go through. I guess you remember what that was like, don't you?" Ron asked with a smirk.

"Oh yeah. I get sore just thinking about it. And how are you getting on, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked with a grin. "I haven't seen much of you in the last couple of weeks."

"I'm doing very well, thank you, Mr. Potter," she replied with a smile. "I know I haven't been here at all in the last two weeks. We signed an agreement with the Goblins last week and I had another rather intense negotiation session with the Centaurs on Monday. You know, Harry, I almost get the feeling they are testing me."

"I'm sure they are, Hermione. They have an immense respect for you. They've told me that. But after all those centuries of mistrust, I'm sure they want to make very sure that we'll stick to what you work out. Just be patient," Harry advised.

"No worry there, Harry. I once said I thought it was an effort worth a lifetime. It's going much better and more quickly than I would have thought. It's just the way it's going, what they say and how they say it," she replied thoughtfully.

"Would you like my opinion?" Harry asked.

"Of course."

"I think they see you as someone who will be a force to be reckoned with in the Ministry in the years ahead and they are testing your mettle and seeing what kind of leader you're likely to be," he said matter-of-factly.

Hermione smiled a bit and blushed a lot. Ron smiled down at his wife proudly. Any further conversation was cut off by a call from the front portico.

"Hey, stop hogging them to yourself, Harry. Someone wants to say hello to his aunt and uncle."

The three turned to see Ginny waving to them with James standing next to her holding her hand. They walked up the path together and Ron was the first to greet his nephew. Ron had become a great favorite of James since his tall lanky uncle would lift him up over his head, putting him well above everyone else and then start the rough housing.

Hermione's approach was drastically different. Harry had noticed that her often very serious, almost officious manner would melt away when she held any of the small children. She would cuddle them close, her cheek against theirs, giving them little kisses. He was sure that Ron and Hermione's children would be well loved.

Percy and Audrey arrived next with Mum and Dad Weasley close on their heels. Then came the Delacour sisters with Victoire and Dominique in hand. Harry became the center of attention for a few moments. Dominique went into the waiting arms of her grandmother so that Fleur could give Harry her full attention. Since Harry was not in any physical difficulty or showing any signs of overt emotional distress, Fleur was able to dispense with any of her usual concerns and just concentrate on giving Harry a warm, loving embrace.

"Eet ees good to see you lookeeng so well, 'arry. The summer 'as been a good one, yes?"

"Yes, it has, Fleur. It's been pretty quiet with no major concerns," he replied, as he hugged her back.

"C'est bon," she replied as she released him.

"And how are you, little sister?" Harry asked Gabrielle.

"I am well, beeg brother," she replied with a dazzling smile. "I 'ave started workeeng for brother George and eet ees quite fascinateeng, not at all like I thought eet would be."

They exchanged hugs as well and then Harry felt a tug on his pants leg.

"Uncle 'arry, up please," Victoire said.

"Hello to you, little lady," Harry said with a smile as he lifted his niece up.

He got the customary tight squeeze around his neck and kisses on his cheek. Everyone then started taking seats in a shady spot near one of the flower beds. Mrs. Weasley sat with Dominique perched on her lap.

"The grounds look just lovely, Harry. How ever are you keeping up with them?" she asked.

"We engaged a service, Mum. Full Moon Gardeners they are called. They come out at night to do the work. We never hear them but in the morning the grounds are perfect. I'm not even sure who or what does the work. But they come highly recommended and my friend up here," he said tapping his head, "doesn't show any concern so they're on the up and up, I'd say."

"They certainly do excellent work, that's for sure," Arthur Weasley said.

Bill, Charlie and Eleanor were next to arrive and lunch began to appear on several tables set out on the lawn. George, Angelina and little Fred were expected later in the afternoon, once business slowed down. Abagail had another session with the 'clueless couple' as she called them and was expected at any time. Snuffles was let loose once the food was put away and Little V and James filled the otherwise quiet country air with screams and squeals as the three played together.

Oddly enough no one was interested in any Quidditch. The camp had given everyone plenty of action and today was a day of rest. As conversations ebbed and flowed Harry found himself talking to Ron and Hermione again.

"So how's the translation coming, Hermione?" he asked.

"Slowly, but it's so fascinating, Harry. It's like trying to solve a great big, intellectual puzzle. Professor Flitwick has had to slow down so he can prepare for the new term, but Ron has been a big help," she replied.

"Really? I didn't know you knew any Latin, mate."

"I don't. Mostly I just listen to Hermione as she's working," he replied deprecatingly.

"Nonsense," his wife said. "I admit it does help to have him as a sounding board. But there have been plenty of times when he's been able to recognize a pattern or a clue from what I describe to him."

Harry looked at his friend, cocking his head to one side.

"The wizards' chess you think?"

Ron shrugged.

"Maybe. It's just sometimes as she tells me about what's written and how, something pops out at me and I see a pattern or whatever," Ron said, getting a bit rosy.

Harry smiled a bit. He could see that no matter how well Ron was, or would be, doing on his own, growing up in various shadows had left a lasting mark on him. Later Harry found himself alone for a moment, except for the persistent attention of a big head with a wet tongue. He was vigorously rubbing Snuffles ears when that familiar faint fragrance caught his attention. Without looking up he said,

"Hi, Fleur."

"Mon Dieu, 'Arry. How do you do that?" she replied.

He looked up and tapped the side of his nose.

"Your fragrance. Very subtle but very distinct and completely unforgettable," he said, smiling as his comment caused Fleur's cheeks to redden a bit.

"You are such a bad boy," she laughed fondly and then took a seat by him. "How are your studies comeeng, 'arry. The beeg book I mean."

"Slow but sure, Fleur. That wily old wizard sure knew how to bury his information. But everyone seems to be enjoying the hunt. We've even managed to coax a few tidbits from it already."

"Magnifique," she said with a smile but her eyes were probing. "One of theese tidbits, as you say, eet ees more serious than the rest, yes?"

Harry looked back into those brilliant blue eyes and gave her his usual half smile. He knew dissembling wouldn't work so he said,

"You could say that. He left a kind of personal note for me. It gave some insights into why people do what they do. The primary message was that we are the source of the darkness, of so called dark magic. It also said that in exchange for the knowledge he bequeathed to us, me, I needed to champion, how did he put it, 'the cause of creation against the darkness within'.

Fleur's expression didn't change as Harry spoke. She reached out and laid her hand on his forearm.

"Theese concerns you, mon ami?"

"I don't know that I'd say concerned as such, Fleur. It's not like I haven't been doing it already. It does make me thoughtful though. We teach students to avoid the dark arts, how to fight against them. If Merlin is right, I don't think that that's enough. We may need to look deeper," he said.

"I would not trust sometheeng like theese to anyone but you, 'arry," she replied.

As the afternoon wound down a few more guests arrived. The Grangers and the Johnsons, as well as Andromeda Tonks and young Ted were also now there. Dinner was to be a more formal affair in the dining room. Once more, as 'lord of the manor' Harry was called upon to say a few words. He stood up and began.

"As always it's a pleasure to have us all together again. My favorite feature of this house is the space that allows us to have days like this. I know I've said it before but I'd like to say again that this house is your house. The more often we have the chance to see any of you the better."

This was met by a chorus of 'hear, hear' and then they settled down to a wonderful meal from the combined talents of Kreacher and Nibs. After dinner several games of wizards chess were played, and as usual Harry opted out of playing to allow his guests more opportunity at the antique chess board. The rest of the family sat about the living room engaging in more conversations. Harry sat for a moment with his eyes closed letting the voices wash over him. A gentle, ethereal hand caressed the back of his head for a moment and then was gone. Later that night, after all the guests had gone and Harry retired to his bed he slept a deep dreamless sleep. For him, there was no tonic like family.

A close second would be his students and time at Hogwarts and as he sat drinking his second cup of tea the following morning he couldn't wait to get started. The students were due to arrive Monday evening and he was going over his notes in preparation. Around midmorning he was interrupted by Kreacher.

"Master Harry, Deputy Chief Milligan wishes to speak with Master Harry."

"Of course, Kreacher, please have him come in," Harry said.

A moment later the lanky Auror walked into the kitchen. With a small smile he said,

"Good morning, Chief. Getting ready for school?"

"Yes, it's more to get me in the proper frame of mind after a summer of lazing about," Harry replied.

Milligan's expression spoke volumes about what he thought of the idea of Harry being lazy.

"What can I do for you this morning?" Harry asked.

"Actually I think we've managed to do something for you for once. I assume you recall what we were talking about the last time I was out here."

"Something to do with Durmstrang, right?" Harry replied.

"Just so. More specifically we were talking about trying to get some inside information and you mentioned Rita Skeeter and her amazing bug act," Milligan said with a smirk.

Harry laughed a bit and then looked dismayed.

"Oh, no. Don't tell me you found a way to get her cooperation in this?"

"Please, sir, would I do that to you?" Milligan asked, his face turning into a mask of dismay. "Truth be told I'd turn in my badge if she was the best I could come up with. No, but it did give me an idea and I made some inquiries among the contacts I made when you had me going back and forth to Paris. We've located three Anamagi in the eastern part of Europe that have expressed a willingness to help out. All three are Durmstrang graduates so they know the layout and all are pretty upset about what has been happening."

"Hmm, it's great that they want to help, but I'm not sure I like the idea of bringing civilians into it," Harry said seriously.

"Spoken like a true copper, sir, but if I recall, you and a bunch of 'civilians' did a pretty nice job of it with our friend Mr. Riddle."

"With casualties, but I take your meaning. Just try and convey they shouldn't take any unnecessary risks."

"Right, that's always been your job."

Harry gave Milligan a 'look' and then shook his head.

"What kind of anamagi are we talking about?" he asked, more out of curiosity.

"We have a Russian witch that becomes a raven, a wizard from Slovakia that becomes an owl, and if you can believe it, a Romanian wizard who becomes a bat."

Harry blinked at the last one and said,

"Are you serious, a bat? Please don't tell me he's from…"

"Yup, Transylvania. He's a farmer most of the time but around Halloween he makes a very tidy sum at parties."

They both started to laugh and Harry finally said,

"Maybe we should book him for the Hogwarts ball. Alright, well, thanks for the initiative. It would be helpful to know what's going on up there, but please let them know to be careful, and to thank them for me. If this works out I'll owe them a great deal."

"Right, chief, but don't thank us too much. I'm a firm believer in heading off trouble before it gets started so we may be thanking you for the warning, again."

With that Milligan left. Shortly after, Abagail walked into the kitchen and headed for the teapot. After pouring herself a cuppa she came over and sat down across from Harry.

"Good morning, Harry. Getting yourself ready for tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yes. More so to get me in the proper frame of mind than anything else," he replied. "What are you up to this morning?"

"Mostly nothing. Well, I wouldn't say playing with James and Snuffles is nothing, but I'm not working or anything," she said.

"Little one, you don't have to work all the time. Playing with those two is actually pretty high up on the list of things you should do a lot of," Harry said with a smile.

"I know, it's just with all the time and effort I put in at Hogwarts it's hard to slow down I guess. Even my artwork is all about work these days," she said.

"Well, we can't have that. You need to set aside some time for doing art just for the sake of doing art."

"I know what you mean, Harry, it's just that with the book and the building company work I want to make sure I do a good job and get myself established," she said seriously.

"I understand that but I'll give you something to help get you started. I have my new room at Hogwarts and the walls are very bare. I'd like you to do a painting of the house and nearby grounds for me to hang there so I'm never far from home. Would you do that for me?"

"Of course I would. What a great idea, I should have thought of that for your birthday or something," she said, bouncing up out of her chair and coming around the table to give him a hug. "I think I'll get my sketch pad and go outside and do some renderings. I want to have all the plants and stuff in bloom still."

And with that she was gone. Harry just smiled. Perhaps it was the way of all teenage girls but Abagail seemed to go from a dead stop to full speed in a heartbeat. He spent the rest of the morning finishing up with his notes and then he too spent a good part of the remainder of the day doing 'nothing' which meant he was out on the lawn playing with his son, or the dog, or both at once. All of which put him in an excellent mood to head back to Hogwarts the following morning.

"Good morning, Professor Potter. I trust you're ready for a new year?" Professor McGonagall said as she stood in the doorway of the Transfiguration classroom.

"Yes, Ma'am. All set and eager to start."

"Wonderful. I have to admit, Harry, I sometimes grow concerned," she said as she stepped into their shared classroom. "There always seems to be so many demands on your time."

"Are you seeing a problem with my work here, Professor?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned.

"Oh, no, Harry, just the opposite. I couldn't be happier with how your students did on their exams and more importantly how they conduct themselves. You're a tremendous asset to the school. But I also understand that you have responsibilities to the larger community. I just worry that all of that may start to take a toll on you. Professor Dumbledore has expressed similar concerns."

"He worries about me?" Harry asked.

"Harry," she replied with a kindly smile, "not a day goes by that you don't come up in conversation in that office, one way or another."

Harry said nothing but smiled a bit, embarrassed, but gratified as well.

"So I'd ask that we continue with our weekly discussions, Harry, and if you feel that we need to make adjustments, you'll let me know. I worked too hard to get you here to have anything affect what you do for us, agreed?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good, I'll see you at the Start of Year feast then," she said and then turned and left the classroom.

Harry smiled a bit and thought he should take a trip to the room of requirements and pay a visit to the former Headmaster before the day was through, just to say hello. Later in the day he moved over to the DADA classroom to check on the setup for his first and second years when he heard the clatter of hooves on the stone in the corridor. He looked up to see Firenze walk through the doorway.

"Hail, friend Harry Potter. It is good to see you again."

"Thank you, Firenze, it's good to be back. You are well, I trust?"

"Well enough, well enough. It has been a quiet summer and there was much time to regard the night sky."

"Any interesting signs to see?" Harry asked.

"One or two. I have heard word that the herd is near an agreement with your friend Hermione Granger," the Centaur said.

"You mean with the Ministry don't you?"

"I say what I mean, Friend Harry Potter. To a Centaur your Ministry is a vague concept filled with mistrustful beings. You and Friend Hermione Granger are true persons that the herd knows and sees. Any agreement reached may contain the words Ministry of Magic but it will mean Hermione Granger and you as well."

Harry looked at the stern visage of the Centaur and then nodded.

"Yes, I can see that would and should be. In a way it makes me more hopeful of the outcome."

The two friends spent a few moments discussing the upcoming year and the well being of Harry's family. After a time Firenze said,

"I will leave you to your preparations. I merely wished to bid you welcome home," Firenze said and then turned to leave the classroom.

As Harry watched him go, he wondered how he knew about the progress of the negotiations. Then he smiled a bit and shook his head. Hagrid. He would hear from the herd and pass it on. Harry wondered if the herd knew. They must. Perhaps the 'lost one' wasn't so lost after all.

That evening Harry sat at the faculty table in his usual spot between Bill and Hagrid. He watched as the new group of first years matched down the aisle behind the stout Professor Sprout. As Harry's eyes roamed over the new students as they came to stand before the dais and the Sorting Hat his attention was drawn to a large dark skinned wizard-to-be. He stood at least a head taller than all the other first years. Harry could see there was a bulkiness to his physique that his school robes couldn't completely hide. Harry was pretty sure the boy would have eclipsed either Goyle or Crabbe when they were first years.

The Hat sang its song and then Professor Sprout began to call out names. The Hat shouted out the name of the houses to which each student was assigned. The towering lad stepped forward in response to the name 'Anton DuBonais' and was promptly placed in Hufflepuff house. Harry frowned because he wasn't aware of any exchange students from Beauxbaton, particularly one so young. His curiosity was piqued but it would have to wait until tomorrow's DADA class to be satisfied. As it happened it was the first class of the day and Harry was able to get to the bottom of the little mystery.

"Alright everyone, please find a seat and we'll get started. Since ours is the first class of the term I'd like to offer my personal welcome to Hogwarts. For some of you this day has been a long time coming. For others it's more in the way of a recent surprise, or shock perhaps," he said with a smile. "I'd like to go through the roll now. It takes me a time or two to make sure I've matched the names and faces properly."

Harry read through the list of names for the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. When he was done he sat back on his stool and said,

"If you don't mind my asking, Mr. DuBonais, could you tell us something about yourself? I can usually tell where my students come from, but I can't seem to place you."

"O' course, suh. I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana or dere 'bouts," the tall youngster said, but it came out sounding 'Nawlins, Loosiana'. "My daddy got transferred heah 'bout eighteen months ago when de comp'ny he works fo' got bought up. My mama's got de magic."

"That would be voodoo then?" Harry asked.

"Yes, suh, and den agin no, suh," he answered. "Voodoo's got its magic, dat's fo' sho', suh, but it's mo' religion den just de magic. We're from Cajun country, de bayou. She's not a true voodoo priestess but she got de gift for magic medicines and like dat. She was dat pleased she was when I got mah letter, suh."

"I have to say I'm looking forward to your participation in class."

"T'ank ya, suh. It's pleased I am to be heah," the boy said with a smile.

Harry thought that the young man would have little trouble, if any, making a place for himself at the school. His open, engaging nature matched with his melodic style of speech should attract his classmates easily and if he had even a minimum of ability to stay on a broom, he had the potential to be a devastating beater.

Later that evening Harry was sitting at his usual spot at the junior end of the Gryffindor table, reading through some notes. Being the first day it was too soon to have homework to go over. That little itch at the edge of his awareness told him someone was approaching. He looked up and saw Anton DuBonais standing near the end of the Ravenclaw table.

"Good evening, Mr. DuBonais. Is there something I can help you with?"

"A bit o' yo' time would be helpful, suh. I'd like ta ask a few questions."

"Please, sit down," Harry said as he gestured to the bench opposite.

"Ver' kind o' ya, suh."

"So, what can I do for you, young fellow?" Harry asked.

"Well, suh, this be awful new and strange fo' me, fo' sho'. I was jist gettin' used ta bein' ovah heah and now all dis. It ain't de bayou or even de French Quartah and dats de truth."

"I guess I can appreciate that, Mr. DuBonais. I come from a long line of wizards on my father's side but I was raised by my mother's sister and her family. I didn't even know about my magical side until I got my letter. I found it all very strange at first, just like you. I did get a lot of help from friends I was able to make fairly quickly among my housemates. Are you having any trouble making friends yet?" Harry asked.

"Oh, no, suh. Ever'body is right friendly. Only dey wanna talk about me," the boy said with a laugh.

"I can understand their curiosity. I have to admit to some myself, but why don't we get your questions answered. What would you like to know?"

What followed was an hour's worth of questions and answers and discussion. Despite what his size and easy going manner might suggest, the young Cajun had a sharp mind and his questions about the British magical community, Hogwarts and the things he was expected to learn and do were fairly insightful for an eleven year old.

Harry could tell that much of what the boy was trying to discover about his new circumstances were the result of a blend of mugglish ignorance of the magical world, coupled with the unique perspective of someone brought up in a heavily rural region that was steeped in its own combination of magic, myth and religion.

"So ya see, suh, all the magic mah Mama knows is de kind dat produces medicines, elixirs and such like. Potions dey call it heah. Wands and brooms and such like were all jist storybook magic 'til now."

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised if your mum had magical abilities beyond just medicines and potions. But don't be too concerned about what you know and don't know. In any given year Hogwarts enrolls up to a quarter of its new students from totally non magical backgrounds. We know how to help them make the transition," Harry said with a smile.

"Dat's good ta heah, suh. Excuse mah askin', suh, but did ya say ya was raised by yo' Auntie?"

"Yes, my parents were killed when I was around a year old," Harry said matter-of-factly.

"I'm truly sorry to heah that, suh. I lost mah daddy befo' I was born," the boy said quietly.

"Pardon me, but didn't you say in class that you moved to the U.K. because your father was transferred here for business reasons?" Harry asked.

"He's really mah stepdaddy, suh. He married mah mama when I was seven or so. But he's been so good ta us I think o' him as mah daddy."

Harry left the question about the boy's natural father unasked but Anton supplied the answer anyway.

"My real daddy was from de bayou, too. De biggest man in de swamp dey would say. He decided he needed ta make mo' money ta support a family so he got a job on a fishin' boat. Da boat went down about a month befo' I was born," he said sadly.

The silence stretched for a few moments and then Harry asked,

"May I ask how your mum and stepfather met?"

"Sho', suh. It was magical after all. When I was 'bout five Mama moved us to Nawlins, the French Quartah. She worked odd jobs and sold her medicines. My step daddy is from Loosiana, but up north. He played professional football, de American kind. Halfway t'rough his third year he hurt his back real bad. He had ta quit de game. Da doctors gave 'im pills fo' de pain but he was afraid dey would get a hold of 'im. He heard 'bout a voodoo lady who made beaucoup good medicines. Mama says soon as he come into de little space she had fo' a shop true magic happened. Dey was married less den a year latta," he said with a smile.

"How did he react when you got your letter?" Harry asked.

"He looked at me, den Mama and said, 'I always knew it was mo' den just herbs'."

"I guess having grown up in that area he was more open to the possibility," Harry said.

"I t'ink so, suh."

"So, Mr. DuBonais, are you feeling a bit more comfortable being here at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, suh and t'ank ya," the boy said with a small smile, "but…"

"But what?"

"But flyin' a broom. I'm terrible scared of heights, suh. Mama had to give me a lil' sumpin special fo' the plane ride ovah heah."

"We're used to dealing with that, too, young fellow. I'll mention it to Madame Hooch in the morning," Harry said with a smile.

With that, Anton reached across the table to shake hands with Harry and then he got up and headed out of the Hall. Harry watched as the boy left and he thought it was going to be interesting see how he progressed over the next few years. He was pretty sure the young wizard-to-be was going to do pretty well for himself. As was usual Harry had the chance to meet with several more students that evening. He was happy to be back.


	19. Chapter 19

Professor Potter, Chapter 19

The first two weeks of school were fairly uneventful. Returning students quickly got back to their routines while the new students endeavored to establish their own. Harry, now in his third year of full time teaching noticed a pattern. In the first week nearly all his time interacting with students outside of class was spent helping first years get acclimated and advising them on how to cope with life at Hogwarts. After that, his efforts increasingly centered on providing help with academics as the true work of learning took hold. In the first category, Anton DuBonais was showing some signs of homesickness. Primarily it revolved around food. He confided to Harry late in the first week,

"What I wouldn't give fo' a big ol' pot o' mah mama's jambalaya right now."

Although deprived of some of the usual ingredients since moving to Great Britain, Mrs. DuBonais had apparently found ways to keep cooking traditional Cajun dishes.

"You're not going hungry, are you?" Harry asked.

"Oh, no, suh, I'm eatin' fo' sho'. But de food heah has no taste, no fire. I'd wrestle a 'gator for a bottle of Tabasco or betta yet some of my mama's special hot sauce."

"Why not ask her to send you some?" Harry suggested.

"How I do that, suh?"

Harry explained how the school owls could be used and told to wait for a return delivery. He suggested picking a large owl that could handle the bottle on the return trip. The boy couldn't thank Harry enough, or fast enough, and in minutes was hurrying away to write his mama the rescue note.

Harry also had the chance to renew his acquaintance with Davey Dickerson. He was of course a student in Harry's second year DADA and transfiguration classes. The boy stopped by to talk to Harry during his Thursday night table session.

"Good evening, sir. Do you have a moment?"

"Mr. Dickerson, of course. It's nice to see you again. How was your summer?" Harry asked.

"It was very good, sir. My dad and I spent some time working on a real sailing ship. We volunteered to help with a historic restoration project."

"That sounds great. Like working on a full sized model," Harry replied.

"Yes, sir. A lot more tiring though. I was pretty sore after that week was done."

"I can imagine."

"I also spent a lot of time with my mum. We talked a lot about magic and her time here at Hogwarts. We even took a trip to meet some of her relatives who are much more, I guess you'd say, traditional about magic. They all thought it was pretty cool that you're one of my professors. They had a lot to say about all that stuff with Voldemort."

"I'm glad you had the chance to do that, Mr. Dickerson. It's one thing to hear it from me or read about it in a book. It's quite another to hear it from people who lived it," Harry said.

"Yes, sir. It just so happens I had a great uncle who disappeared during Voldemort's first try to take over."

Harry nodded and said,

"There aren't many families that weren't affected to some degree by Tom Riddle."

"I can see that now, sir. My folks wanted me to say 'thank you' to you for taking the time to explain all this to me," the boy said quietly.

"That's why I'm here, Mr. Dickerson. I'm glad I could help."

Things got a bit more interesting early in the third week when an unfamiliar looking owl dropped a message on Harry's desk while he awaited the arrival of his next class. The bird flew off, presumably up to the owlry for a rest, before Harry could look closely enough at it to try and figure out where it might have come from. He picked up the parchment it had dropped and saw his name 'Professor Harry Potter' written on the front in a strong blocky script. He opened it and found it was a message from Viktor Krum. Harry read through the message but had little time to consider its contents as his class of seventh year Applied Magic students swarmed in. He put the note in his pocket; it would have to wait for a bit.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are about to begin a very interesting part of our work for this year. As seventh years you are expected to have a strong command of all aspects of magic. The purpose of this course has always been about melding those various aspects into a more effective whole. To demonstrate your abilities and understanding you'll be required to undertake a project, which will last for the entire school year. The outcome of that project will be presented to a joint meeting of both sections on Thursday evening of the last week of May. You many choose your own project, subject to my approval. You may work as individuals or in twos or threes. You will have one week to come up with an idea and a preliminary plan of action. I'm going to allow you the rest of this class period to discuss it amongst yourselves and to ask me any questions."

With that a buzz arose in the classroom as the students began to discuss the possibilities. Harry had quite a few questions to answer. When he released the class to head to the Great Hall for lunch he sat back and pulled out the parchment and reread it. It began,

'Professor Harry Potter

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry'

Harry had to a smile a bit at the formality of it and then read on.

'I trust this message finds you in good health. Since my last message to you regarding the situation at Durmstrang Institute, the news, what little we hear, has become more disturbing. Discussions concerning the school and alternatives continue within our community. By coincidence I will be arriving in London as part of a delegation to discuss international Quidditch competition during the second week of October. I would consider it a great personal favor if you could be available for a private discussion regarding our efforts in establishing a suitable alternative for educating our young people. I await your response.'

It was signed,

'With respect and warmest regards,

Viktor Krum'

Harry sat back in his chair and thought. So, the situation, whatever it was, at Durmstrang was getting worse and the idea of starting a new school was being taken more seriously. What bothered Harry was the lack of specifics. Was this merely a matter of academic eccentricities or something darker? He hoped Milligan's efforts to find more inside information bore fruit, and soon. What he could do in the meantime was respond to Viktor's request. He would do so when he got home. His big owl would be better suited for making the long flight to Bulgaria. Which is exactly what he did. He wrote to Viktor saying he would be more than happy to meet with him and it would be easy to let Harry know when it would be convenient once Viktor arrived in London and knew what his schedule would be.

Something of a more immediate nature, serious in its own way, occurred the following Saturday. Harry had spent the morning at Hogwarts, watching a Quidditch club match and then returned to the house to find it in a minor uproar. As soon as he walked in the front door, a rather dismayed looking Kreacher having let him in, he heard what could best be called shouting, from of all people, Abagail. The breathless nature of it made it hard to make out from the corridor, but the tone, and from what Harry could feel, probably based on their 'connection', she was angry and upset. The scene that met him in the kitchen when he walked in was not at all what he expected.

Sitting in a chair at the table was a very cowed looking Angus MacAskill, with a large plate of breakfast in front of him. Abagail, her face set in an expression Harry couldn't ever remember seeing before was pacing back and forth, railing on and gesturing wildly. Words like 'unthinking, dangerous and idiotic' were flying. The quiet young genius looked terrified.

"Here now, what's all this then?" Harry asked, using his best stern professor's voice.

"Harry, thank goodness you're home," Abagail said as she stopped and turned at the sound of his voice. "Maybe you can talk some sense into this…this…person," she said with exasperation.

"Why? What's going on?"

The young man looked up at Harry, his eyes pleading for rescue.

"What's going on is this idiot has been down in that basement for the last three weeks, all day, everyday working on that stupid puzzle with barely any sleep and existing on the one tray of snacks that the house elves have been providing," she said.

"Is this true, Angus?" Harry asked calmly.

The tongue tied young genius could only nod his head, his eyes wide.

"You see, Harry? He admits to the whole stupid business," she said, trying to shout again.

"Alright, Abagail, that's enough. Can't you see how he's reacting? Try and show a little compassion," he said, and not kindly.

This brought her up short and she looked at Harry with her dark eyes wide and her face showing some chagrin. She looked down at her feet.

"Why don't you leave Angus and me alone for a bit? I'd like to talk to him, quietly," Harry said.

Abagail looked up at him and said,

"Yes, sir," and then quietly left the kitchen.

Harry pulled out a chair and sat down opposite the young man, who was looking slightly less anxious.

"Are you hungry?" Harry asked.

"A-aye, sir."

"Then why don't you eat while we talk?" Harry asked quietly.

"Aye, sir," Angus replied and he started to attack the food in front of him.

Harry saw no sense in asking any questions so soon so he sat back and looked at the boy, for he was hardly more than that. He saw the pale skin, the dark rings under his eyes and his unkempt hair. His clothes were wrinkled and while not terribly offensive, Harry could tell from across the table Angus hadn't seen a shower, or wash basin, in a while. When he could see that the pace of shoveling in the food was slowing he said,

"What have you been doing down in the basement all this time, Angus?"

Gulping down what was in his mouth Angus looked at Harry with his tired eyes and said,

"Tryin' tae solve the puzzle, Professor."

"Are you making any progress? Is that what's keeping you going?"

"Oh, aye. Findin' many patterns, sir."

Harry knew better than to think he was going to get any extensive or overly informative answers from the reticent young wizard so he leaned forward and said,

"Angus, I asked for help on this project because I felt it was likely to produce great benefits for our world, maybe even the muggles as well. But nothing in that book is worth someone working themselves to death. I appreciate your passion and dedication but you need to take a breather."

Harry was met with pleading eyes that even Snuffles couldn't have matched.

"No, I'm not bending on this, young fellow. Hasn't your family wondered where you've been?"

"No, told 'em ay' was stayin' here."

"Well, there's some truth in that but I'd wager you didn't tell them all the details, did you?" Harry said evenly.

Angus just shook his head in the negative. His expression told Harry something.

"You don't like being at home, Angus?"

"No," was all he said after a moment's hesitation.

Harry let out a sigh and then said,

"We'll let that go for now. I can see you've finished your breakfast, so here's what's going to happen. Kreacher will escort you upstairs and you're to use the guest shower and get yourself cleaned up. You're to give your clothes to Kreacher and he'll get them washed for you. He can lend you something of mine since we're close in size. Then you are to use the bed in one of the guest rooms and get some sleep. And tomorrow you stay out of that dungeon and you get some fresh air and sun. Am I making myself clear?"

Angus just nodded, but he didn't look happy. Harry wasn't particularly interested in happy at the moment. He'd settle for healthy.

"Kreacher?"

"Yes, Master Harry?"

"Did you hear all of that?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, Master Harry, Kreacher understands. If Mister MacAskill is ready?"

Angus stood up and slowly followed the little house elf out of the room. He looked exhausted. Harry got up and went looking for Abagail. It took him a while, but eventually he found her outside in a quiet corner of the garden, sitting on a bench with Snuffles sitting in front of her. It reminded Harry of those days after her mural was destroyed and she sought refuge at Hagrid's hut with Norby. Harry walked up quietly and said,

"Hello, little one. May I join you?"

She looked up at him, obviously upset and said,

"Of course."

Harry sat down and added a few rubs for Snuffles. Then he turned and looked at Abagail and said,

"Shall we discuss what just went on?"

"I don't think you've ever talked like that to me before," she said.

"Probably because you've never given me cause before," he replied.

"Harry, Angus was working himself to death down there. Do you know how I found out he was down?"

"Why don't you tell me?" he replied mildly.

"Ginny and James left with Grandmum and Granddad this morning to drive out to Shell Cottage. I was working upstairs and came down to the kitchen to get a cup of tea. I saw Angus shuffling down the hall to the washroom that they use when they're down there working on that book. I was shocked at how bad he looked. I hadn't seen him in a couple of weeks and he was never the healthiest specimen but you saw what he looked like."

"But why did you feel the need to treat him like that? You were saying some very harsh things to him," Harry chided her gently.

"It didn't start out that way. I stopped him in the hall after he came out of the washroom and asked him when was the last time he ate or slept. He wouldn't answer me, he just stood there looking at me, swaying. Harry, he was actually swaying as he stood there. I guess that's when I lost my temper. I grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into the kitchen and pushed him into a chair. I had Nibs make him breakfast. The whole time he just sat there looking at me and not saying a word. That's when you walked in," she finished.

"Little one, you should know by now that Angus is an exceedingly shy young man. Can you even think of the number of times you actually saw him anywhere around the castle outside of a classroom? It's hard enough for him talking to anyone at the best of times. How could you expect him to answer you when you were railing at him like you were?"

She sat there looking down at her hands clasped in her lap. Then she looked back at Harry and said,

"You know that I don't 'look' at people like I used to. I guess it's hard for me to understand how other people feel just doing it the usual way."

Harry reached over and took her hand and gave her a little smile.

"I imagine it's a difficult thing but you just need to use your other senses, little one. Someone's eyes and face can tell you a lot, as well as what and how they say things. And it's not always wrong to use your other talents. If your intentions are good and you don't go prying. If you don't mind my asking, why were you getting that upset? It was a bit of an overreaction don't you think?"

"Well, Harry, you know me. I care about what happens to people. I don't want to see someone get sick or worse, like that," she replied.

"People? Someone?" he asked, his eyes questioning.

She didn't answer but before she looked away, presumably to give Snuffles a good scratching between his ears, he was sure he saw her cheeks color a bit. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close and felt her lean into his side for a moment. With a parting kiss on the top of her head, he got up and went back into the house.

Ginny returned home with James just before dinner. Abagail had come back into the house and was up in her room. Harry met his wife and son at the door and after some hugs and kisses followed Ginny into the nursery. While she was getting James cleaned up and ready for dinner Harry explained the events of the day to her. When he was done she looked back over her shoulder and said,

"Do you think there's something going on between them?" she asked.

"Consciously? No, I very much doubt that but below the surface it's a real possibility. He's always been overawed by her since the first day he came here. As for her, it could be something like that or she sees him as some lost soul needing help. Maybe you could talk to her after dinner and see if she'll tell you anything."

"Alright, Harry. I have plenty to tell her about our visit to Shell Cottage anyway."

"Thank you. How are things going with them? I haven't had much of a chance to talk to Bill so far these last few weeks," Harry said.

"Everyone is doing well. Dominique is showing some real personality. Bill was right. She really does seem to want to see everything that is going on. Your number one fan was disappointed you didn't come with us so we can expect a visit fairly soon. That little girl really does love her uncle 'arry," Ginny said with a grin.

At the dinner table, to avoid any mention of the morning's events Harry told them about the message from Viktor Krum.

"Wow, Harry," Abagail said, seemingly glad for the chance to talk about something different. "A whole new school. I wonder where they'd put it."

"I seem to recall something being said the first time about looking somewhere along the Black Sea coast or perhaps in the mountains of Transylvania. I got the impression they'd like it to be somewhat removed from Durmstrang to the north," Harry replied.

"Why do you think Viktor wants to talk to you, Harry?"

"What I'm hoping is he knows some things that he doesn't want to put in writing. Most likely he's interested in some ideas about the school. We'll have to see."

The following morning Harry came into the kitchen to find Angus sitting quietly and patiently at the kitchen table. He looked up when Harry came in and said,

"Mornin', Professor."

"Good morning, Angus. I hope you slept well."

"Oh, aye."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. You look a bit better but still not good. I want you to eat breakfast and then find a chair out in the sun and get a bit more rest. Understand?"

"Aye, sir."

"Nibs, if you would, please," Harry called to the little elf by the stove.

"Coming right away, Master Harry."

Angus was about half way through his breakfast and Harry was well into his second plate when Abagail walked into the room. Angus kept his focus on his food. Abagail came around and took a seat. She looked at Harry and then at the young man.

"Angus?" she said quietly but got no response. "Angus. Would you look at me please?"

He looked up and saw Abagail looking at him with those big dark eyes.

"Angus, I'm sorry for the way I behaved yesterday. I really shouldn't have carried on like I did. It's just that seeing you looking the way you did I got kind of scared. And then when you wouldn't answer my questions I got really frustrated and it made me angry. I was just so afraid that you were making yourself sick working like that down there. But I should have known better than to say the things I did. I'm sorry."

Harry watched the two as she talked and he listened. And it was obvious that he was listening. Harry could see the look of awe he usually wore when Abagail was around change to one of questioning. Angus looked down at his plate and then back up at the girl before saying,

"Nae worries."

"Will you promise me that you'll take better care of yourself and not work so hard? I don't think Harry or the others are expecting you to solve this overnight."

Angus looked over at Harry and he gave a single nod.

"Ay' proomis'," he said.

Abagail smiled a bit and said,

"Thank you."

With that Abagail asked Nibs for some tea and toast and the three ate quietly for the rest of the meal. When they were done Harry looked at Angus and said,

"You'll find chairs on the portico. Find one that's comfortable and use it. If you want a book to read you can take one from my library, just put it back when you're done."

"Come on, Angus, I'll show you," Abagail said.

He nodded and followed her out of the room. Harry sat and watched them leave. They were barely gone from sight when Ginny walked in with James. Harry brightened up and said,

"Well, hello there. How are we doing this morning?"

"G'd, da," James said.

"Hey, where did that come from?" Harry asked as he reached for his son.

"Your number one fan was working with him yesterday. I think she's a little jealous that James gets to be around you so much so she was looking to have some influence."

"Oh, I don't know about that, Ginny. Isn't that pushing her ability to reason just a little bit?" Harry asked.

"Were you there? You didn't hear the things she was saying to him," she said with a grin and then gestured with her head back towards the door. "What went on with those two?"

"Abagail apologized and explained why she acted the way she did."

"Which was?" Ginny asked.

"She said she was afraid that Angus was going to get sick if he carried on the way he was. He accepted the apology and promised to take better care of himself. I sent him off to sit outside and get some sun. She went with him."

Ginny looked at him with raised eyebrows and he just shrugged in response. As it turned out Angus spent nearly the entire day outside. He and Abagail spent a good portion of the morning talking, although she did the lion's share of it. After lunch everyone was outside and James and Snuffles managed to coax the reserved young man into joining them in playing with a large ball. He would give it a push and James and the dog would chase after it, batting it with hand and paw to drive it back toward him. He still didn't say much but his expression looked somewhat more joyful.

Harry insisted he spend another night sleeping in the guest room. He wanted the chance to talk to Professors Vector and Babbling before any further decisions were made. As it turned out it was they who sought him out before classes began the next morning.

"Professor Potter, Harry," Professor Vector said as the two older teachers entered his classroom.

"Good morning, Professor Vector, Professor Babbling. This is a happy coincidence. I was going to look for you today. I need to talk to you," Harry said, evenly.

"Yes, I imagine you do. I received an owl from young MacAskill last night. It appears we've been rather neglectful."

"An owl? Ah, he must have borrowed Abagail's, Miss Westwood. As to the latter it appears we all have. I was completely unaware that he was sleeping in my basement. Going on little food and less sleep," Harry said.

"I feel terrible about this, Harry. When Professor McGonagall's edict came down about getting ready for the school year we failed to give Angus sufficient instruction. I simply told him to carry on and let us know if he came up with anything significant. We assumed, incorrectly, that he would see to the rest of it. I should've known better," Professor Vector said with chagrin.

"Well, hopefully we've got it straightened out for the moment. He's eating three meals a day under the watchful eye of Miss Westwood and my wife and sleeping in a real bed. The question is what is the long term arrangement for him going to be. He told me he doesn't like going home."

"If you can call it a home. From what I could get out of him, it's a very unpleasant place for him. The last few years we found ways to let him stay at Hogwarts or Hogsmeade for the summer. If you could extend your hospitality for a few more days I'm sure we can come up with something more appropriate."

"We can manage that. Let me know when you think you have something worked out," Harry said.

"Thank you, Harry," they both said and then left the room.

Harry would have to send an owl home to let Ginny know what was going on. He'd take care of it at lunch. As it turned out Angus wound up staying for the full week until a small room was located above the magical pet shop in Diagon Alley. Harry picked up the cost of the rent as part of the expenses for the Tome Study Group. Angus would be fed at the house. Nibs was happy for another hearty appetite to satisfy.

When Harry's seventh year Applied Magic class convened to present their project ideas to him he got a bit of a surprise from one group of three Ravenclaws. It is generally known that the young witches and wizards assigned to Ravenclaw tended to be of higher intellectual capacity. Hermione was a rare case of not having been so assigned but Harry knew from extensive experience she was a true Gryffindor right down to her toenails. The project that these three presented was to be an extensive, detailed analysis of Harry's seven years at Hogwarts viewed from the point of view of his teachings, both as a guest lecturer and a full time instructor. It was their intent to correlate his experiences with his conclusions and concepts upon which the course was based.

"So in other words you want to establish what events in my life have led to my particular points of view and concepts?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," replied the witch who served as the team spokesperson.

Harry pursed his lips and looked at the faces of the three students. He then looked out the window focusing on nothing much of anything. Then he returned his attention to his students.

"How do you intend to collect your information?" he asked.

"We intend to review all the written material that exists about you and what happened. We would also conduct interviews with as many people as we can who were involved in all those events. And with you, of course, if you would be willing."

Harry could see a fundamental issue with this project. It would compel him to relive many events that he hadn't thought about in quite awhile. The students could see the look on his face and Harry could in turn see their reaction. He took in a deep breath and replied,

"Alright. I'll agree and cooperate as best I can, but I will tell you now that there may be some things that I might not wish to discuss. You'll just have to deal with that, am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Fine. Alright, who's next?"

The next several weeks passed without further incident. Angus showed signs of improvement with regular sleep, food and exposure to sunshine and fresh air. His regular exposure to Abagail didn't cause any great change in his conversational powers but his look of awe was now replaced by one that could best be described as contentment, occasionally punctuated with a small smile.

The day finally arrived when Harry received a message that Viktor would like to meet him and it was suggested that the Cauldron would be sufficient for the purpose. Harry agreed and he arrived at the appointed hour, seven in the evening on Tuesday. Harry had arrived first and after an enthusiastic greeting from Hannah he was seated at a small table in a quiet corner. Harry took a seat that allowed him to observe the main entrance and soon he saw the familiar, if older, figure of Viktor Krum shuffle into the room.

The legendary Quidditch seeker still had the same dark, intense expression, softened just a bit perhaps by age and experience. He also stood a bit straighter but he still had the same duck footed shuffle that Harry remembered from his fourth year. Many heads swiveled to watch him walk towards Harry, a brief smile crossing his face. Harry stood to welcome him.

"Viktor, it is good to see you after all these years," Harry said.

"Yes, it is, Professor Potter," Viktor said with another small smile. "Harry, you have come a very long vay since we first met over ten years ago."

"Thank you, Viktor," Harry said waving him into a chair. "It was a bumpy road but it has worked out pretty well so far. How have you been? I know you're the captain of the Vratsa Vultures. I assume you're still flying on the Bulgarian national team?"

"Yes, Harry. I am. I also sit on the board for the team. That is vy I am here. A number of discussions are ongoing about the future of the game internationally," he said and paused a moment and then said, "How is Hermione? You see, I can pronounce it correctly."

"Hermione is well. She married Ron Weasley, you recall him?"

"I believe so. Tall, redhead, usually found in your company?" Viktor replied.

"That's him. She's with the Ministry of Magic now, working on negotiating agreements with the other magical races."

Viktor just nodded. At this point Hannah came up and after being introduced to Viktor she described the menu for the day and the two men ordered. After she hurried off to the kitchen Harry said,

"So, Viktor, what can I do for you?"

"Ve vish to ask your assistance in establishing a new school of magic," Viktor said evenly.

"How can I help you do that?" Harry asked.

"Those of us who came to Hogvarts for the TriVizards Tournament found many things to admire about the school. Now that it is time to consider a new school ve think there are things to be learned from you, from Hogvarts, about how to teach magic. This is the help ve seek," he finished.

"First, thank you for the compliment. Secondly, I'd be happy to help. What did you have in mind, any specifics yet?"

"Ve hope to start next year. A facility has been located not far from the Black Sea near the border between Bulgaria and Romania. We have vizards and vitches vorking to make it ready. Vot ve need is help getting teachers ready," Viktor said.

Harry sat thinking. For a few moments he looked up at the beamed ceiling and then back at Viktor.

"Do you have candidates for the teaching positions?"

"Not all, but a number, yes."

"What I would suggest is having them come to Hogwarts for period of time, at least a month, so that they can observe and take part in classes, have the opportunity to talk to and work with our professors. We might even be able to make connections for you to find some candidates for your remaining positions. What do you think?"

"I think it vould be vonderful. Do you think your Headmistress would agree?" Viktor asked.

"I have the feeling she would. Professor McGonagall wasn't very happy about what we found out about Durmstrang and I think she would welcome the chance to help provide an alternative. I think she, we, would have some concerns about how the Dark Arts are handled though."

"I understand that, Harry. I believe the majority of us vish to see the use of dark magic reduced or removed from the studies. It vould be something to discuss together if ve can arrange it," Viktor replied.

"There is something else, Viktor. You may wish to consider a similar visit to Beauxbaton. They do things a bit differently there, but I do have a great deal of respect for their faculty and staff and I've been very impressed by their students. I'm sure there would be things to learn there."

"That sounds fine, Harry, but I do not know anyvon there nor do the others I am vorking vith," he replied.

"I think I can help there as well, Viktor. I'm on fairly good terms with the Headmistress and some of the professors. I'll send a message off and see what we can arrange. I can talk to Professor McGonagall tomorrow. If she's agreeable would you be available later this week to come up to the school to talk to her and the other professors?"

"It vould be an honor. I vould very much like to see Hogvarts again," he said, the brief smile flitting across his face.

"That's great. I'll send you a message as soon as I've made the arrangements."

Viktor nodded and offered Harry his hand across the table. As they shook hands Harry had a quick flash of a vision of a wizened old man, dressed in ancient looking robes showing Harry a very satisfied smile.


	20. Chapter 20

Professor Potter, Chapter 20

"This is a very interesting proposition, Harry," Professor McGonagall said.

"Yes, ma'am. I thought with how events have developed with Beauxbaton and what Professor Dumbledore had hoped for with the Triwizards Tournament, I believed it was the right thing to do."

"I must agree with you, my boy," Professor Dumbledore said from his portrait on the wall.

Harry was sitting in the Heads office conferring with the present and former Heads. The rest of the portraits were paying close attention.

"I thought we could bring them over for the start of the second half of the term. That way they'd have the opportunity to visit Beauxbaton as well and still have enough time to get ready for the start of their first term."

"I believe we could manage that, Harry. We'll have to look at making arrangements for lodging. We may have to split them up a bit," the Headmistress said.

"We could probably put up a few of them at our house," Harry offered.

"We'll come to a decision once Mr. Krum lets us know how many we can expect," she said.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I suspect you'll play a prominent role in this effort, Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"I'll help any way I can, sir, but the reason they'll be here is to learn about our teaching techniques. I'm the most junior instructor here. I'd have to think they'd be more interested in what the other, more experienced professors have to say."

"Perhaps, my boy, but I have reason to believe otherwise," his mentor said.

Harry smiled a bit and then the conversation turned to more practical matters. When they were finished Harry dispatched a note to Viktor inviting him to visit the following evening. Since Viktor's visit was intended to be more of a business meeting as opposed to a celebrity event, he arrived quietly at the front gate to be met by Harry. After exchanging greetings and handshakes they walked up to the front door to be let in by Stan Shunpike.

"Evenin', Professor Potter, Mr. Krum."

"Hello, Stan. Viktor, this is Stan Shunpike, the Caretaker."

Viktor looked at Stan with a slight frown.

"I remember an older, rather unpleasant man," he said.

"Yes, Mr. Filch. He had to retire at the end of last term due to health issues. Stan was his assistant."

Viktor nodded and the two passed into the entry hall and up towards the Heads' office.

"Viktor, welcome back to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said as she greeted the two younger wizards at the door to her office.

"Thank you, Professor. I vish to relay the appreciation of my associates for your villingness to help us."

"It's our pleasure, Viktor. And quite frankly, how could we not? We would be the worst sorts of hypocrites if we didn't. Now let's sit down and see just what manner of assistance we can provide."

Harry and Viktor took chairs on one side of the Head's desk as Professor McGonagall sat on her side.

"Viktor, it's good to see you again," came the voice of Dumbledore from his portrait.

Viktor turned with a bit of a start and replied.

"Ah, Professor Dumbledore. I did not think to see you. Vill you be helping us vith this project?"

"As I can, yes, I well be glad to."

Viktor nodded in response but he also had a slight smile.

"So let's discuss the particulars," Professor McGonagall said. "Do you have an idea of how many teachers you would be sending to us?"

"The last report from the search group vas that ve have six committed and two more as very likely. I think ven ve let it be known ve have your help those numbers should improve. Ve need twelve to fill all the positions ve vill need."

"So, a dozen at most. That should be quite manageable. I think we can match up your candidates with the appropriate professor here. Yours can shadow ours and assist in classes plus I think we could put together some discussion groups in the evening. Harry has significant experience with that technique," the Headmistress said.

The three plus Professor Dumbledore spent the next two hours discussing the details of the proposed visit. After the first half an hour Viktor requested a quill and some parchment and he spent much of the remainder of the time scribbling notes.

When Harry saw him off at the school gate Viktor took Harry's hand and said,

"I cannot tell you how much ve, I, appreciate vot you and the others are doing for us. I only vish it vere not necessary."

"You're welcome, Viktor. And yes, I agree, I wish it wasn't necessary either. I'm also hoping that whatever is going on won't make other things necessary as well."

Viktor looked at Harry and then nodded his understanding. He gave Harry's hand a final shake and stepped back. With a last wave he Disapparated back to the Cauldron where the Quidditch delegation had their rooms. Then Harry walked to the small house in Hogsmeade and took the floo network home.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. "I didn't expect to see you home tonight. I thought that with your meeting with Viktor you would have stayed at the school."

"Things with Viktor went very well, but I just wanted to be at home tonight. It's still relatively early and I have my first period free tomorrow. Plus I don't think I spend nearly as much time with you as I should."

"What are you going on about, Harry. You're home all summer and during school you're only away two nights a week," Ginny said.

"Yes, that's true but usually during the time I am here someone else is here like James or Abagail or half the Weasley clan," Harry said as he took his wife into his arms. "I was referring to jus the two of us."

Ginny looked up at Harry with her eyes smoldering in a way he hadn't seen in some time. She said in a low voice,

"James is already in bed and Abagail said she'd be working in her room all evening."

Harry smiled a bit and then leaned down and shared a long, lingering kiss with her. When they finally separated, Ginny hooked Harry's arm with hers and said,

"Come with me, my love. Tonight is just for you and me."

Harry always took great comfort from his home life. No matter how trying a situation might be at Hogwarts or in the larger world he knew he always had the haven of home to come back to. This would prove a great boon to him over the next few days.

The following morning after the meeting with Viktor, Harry was eating an extensive, if leisurely breakfast, when Kreacher came into the kitchen.

"Master Harry, Miss Gabrielle Delacour is here to see Master Harry."

"Gabi? Of course, show her in, please," Harry said as he stood up.

Gabrielle hurried into the kitchen waving a piece of parchment in the air.

"'arry! Eet 'as finally come. A message from the club at Beauxbaton," she said excitedly.

Harry looked perplexed. Gabi came to a halt in front of him.

"Do you not recall, 'arry. You asked that they contact you eef they found out anytheeng from the former Durmstrang students," she said with a smile.

Comprehension dawned on Harry's face and he said,

"May I see it, please?"

"First theengs first, beeg brother," she replied with a wicked little grin as she held her arms wide.

Harry shook his head but stepped forward and gave Gabrielle her hug. When she finally released her grip they stepped back and she handed him the message and unrolled it. He looked at it a moment and let out an exasperated snort and said,

"Gabi, it's in French."

"Eet ees? I'm sorry, 'arry. I was so excited when I saw eet, I did not theenk to look at eet. Eet was addressed to you after all," she said.

"It's ok, Gabrielle, I should be grateful they sent any kind of message. And I am. Would you like to sit down and translate for me?" he said.

"Oui, mon frere."

They both took seats opposite each other and Gabrielle took the parchment and began to read.

"Most esteemed Professor Potter,

As requested we the members of the Fan Club 'ave paid close attention to those students 'oo transferred from Durmstrang. Eet required many weeks since your last veesit to gain their confidence. Een the most recent weeks several revelations 'ave been made that we weesh to breeng to your attention. The first ees that all formal classes have ceased. Students attach themselves to a single professeur who provides all eenstructions. The second ees that education in the practice of the dark arts is now the main area of concern. Eet 'as been suggested that dangerous creatures now roam the school grounds. Lastly, it has been reported that only several dozen students remain. We hope that thees eenformation proves useful. We weell of course eenform you of any new eenformation that comes to our attention.

Yours with respect and admiration, H.P. Fan Club."

Gabrielle put the sheet of parchment down and looked at Harry.

"Eet ees not good, yes, 'arry?"

"It's not good is right, but not any worse than we surmised. Although that business about no formal classes is worrisome," he replied. "Thank you for bringing that to me. You won't have trouble from George will you?"

"No, but eet ees sweet of you to be concerned. Thees arrived at Shell Cottage yesterday and I awoke early this morning so that I could go to work and ask George for permission to come 'ere," she said with a slight smile.

"That's good and thank you again. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Umm, no, I 'ave not. Just some café."

"Nibs, would you, please?"

"Yes, Master Harry," the little elf said happily.

Gabrielle's smile got much bigger.

The following Saturday Harry received the next piece in the puzzle that was Durmstrang. He had spent part of the morning in the basement workroom with the Study Group going over their progress to date. After they had concluded, Harry went out into the front gardens for some fresh air. The early fall air was just starting to get a hint of the crispness he enjoyed so much. The French Riviera with its skin blistering sun was ok for a week or so, but for every day living you couldn't beat a crisp autumn day as far he was concerned. As he strolled about he heard a faint pop and when he looked he saw the tall lanky figure of Milligan standing on the walkway near where it emerged from the woods.

"Morning, Chief," Milligan said as they neared on another.

"Good morning. You have something interesting to tell me I hope," Harry replied.

"Oh, I think so. Each one of our anamagi managed to get into the building and grounds at Durmstrang. I received individual reports from each through my contacts. I condensed them to weed out any repetition but noted what we corroborated by multiple observations. Here it is," he said handing over a small stack parchment.

"In essence, Durmstrang has been converted from a general school of witchcraft and wizardry to a training ground for personal retinues for a handful of wizards with an emphasis on dark arts practices. No regular classes, no exams, no Quidditch or any other extra curriculars like clubs or such. None of the three recognized the Headmaster but they've all been out of Durmstrang for at least twenty years. No one used a name when addressing him, just 'Headmaster'.

"From what our spies have to say, those students that are still there don't appear to be forced but a good many of them seem none to happy to be there. They say there seems to be about ten or so wizards on 'staff' or whatever you'd call it. There is also some indication of some unpleasant creatures roaming about the place. At least one giant was seen and there have been some strange noises coming out of the woods around the grounds.

"Oh, and one other thing. You are the topic of a lot of discussion and none of it's good."

"Oh, really? Why is that?" Harry asked.

"Basically, they see you as the destroyer of all the time honored traditions of wizardry. That your ideas are the worst kind of radical nonsense and that you're probably not even a true wizard."

Harry snorted once and Milligan continued.

"The conclusion seems to be that while nothing overt is going on that we could consider a threat, there's likely nothing good that will eventually come of it. I suppose we'll need to keep an eye on the place somehow," Milligan concluded.

Harry stood quietly for a moment. Milligan watched his face looking for any of the familiar telltales that helped him gauge Harry's reactions in the past. Harry took a deep breath and let it out. He looked at Milligan.

"I suppose so, but I wonder if something a little more direct is called for," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Just how direct were you thinking, Chief?"

"Nothing noisy. Just a face-to-face to let them know we're aware of what's going on and that we won't tolerate any nonsense," he replied seriously.

"With you being the one to do the face-to-facing?"

"It is my idea. I wouldn't want to send someone else to do it."

"I guess that's your prerogative, since the Ministry has no formal part in all of this," Milligan replied but he was obviously uncomfortable with the idea.

"Now I just need to find out where Durmstrang is," Harry said thoughtfully.

Milligan stood there, obviously wrestling with himself but finally he shrugged a bit helplessly and reached into his robe and pulled out a second sheet of parchment.

"The bat wizard from Romania sent this along in case we needed it," he said.

Harry took it and found it to be a rather nicely done sketch of where Durmstrang was located

from both the perspective of Europe at large and then in a more detailed close up. Harry smiled and said.

"Thanks, Milligan. I appreciate all your help, as usual."

"Yes, sir. Just do me a favor and don't make me regret helping you."

Ginny wasn't quite so quick to acquiesce to Harry's intentions.

"Harry, I thought when you left the Ministry you were done with all of this. I didn't mind your flying to Beauxbaton as a dragon so much and the whole business with Merlin's Tome wasn't really your doing, but this? You want to brazenly walk into a den of dark wizards and their students all by yourself? That's crazy."

"I wouldn't say crazy. Bold, unexpected perhaps, but not crazy," Harry said blandly.

"Don't try to mess me about, Harry."

"Sweetheart, look at it from my perspective. I stand up in front of groups of students and lecture them on how to fight the dark arts. I'm trying to figure out ways to persuade them to shun the very idea of ever using them. Not to mention that I'm trying to reconcile all that information we got from the message from Merlin. How can I not do this?"

"Don't try and get around me that way, Harry. It's simple. You say I've done enough. I've put myself on the line enough times and I have the scars to prove it. It's someone else's turn."

"Do you really think I could do that, Ginny?" he asked quietly.

She looked into those serious green eyes and then made a rude noise, throwing up her hands and said,

"No, but I keep hoping. Would you at least consider taking someone with you to be there if something goes wrong," she pleaded.

"Who would I ask?" Harry said.

"How about me?" Ron asked coming into the kitchen from the hallway.

Kreacher appeared in the entranceway of the kitchen, looking rather embarrassed.

"Master Harry did say Ron Weasley was always welcome."

"Yes, I did, Kreacher," Harry said and then turned back to Ron. "Milligan?"

"He did mention something about you perhaps needing some help," Ron said matter-of-factly.

Harry scowled a bit and then rubbed at his face. Things were getting complicated. Then a thought occurred to him.

"Kreacher, would you please ask Abagail to join us?"

In a few moments Abagail hurried into the room.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Please have a seat."

When Abagail was seated he continued.

"If you choose to look, you can pretty much find me anywhere, correct?"

"So far, Harry."

"Alright, we'll do it like this if you feel so helpful, mate. You and whatever members of your squad who are willing can assemble here at the house. Abagail can listen to what's going on and if she picks up on anything that looks like I'm in trouble, she can tell you and you can Apparate to assist. Can you get from here to there?" he asked as he slid the map towards his best friend.

Ron looked at the map and then appeared to be doing some calculations in his head. Then he looked back at Harry and said,

"It's feasible, but with that much distance we'd be pretty tired once we showed up. Let me think about this. Are you in a hurry to get this done?" Ron asked.

"The sooner the better, but a few days wouldn't hurt," Harry replied.

"That's enough. If this is where you need to be I'm sure we can stage a group of us here," Ron said, pointing to a town indicated perhaps fifty miles from Durmstrang. "We leave Abagail here to listen for you. We also leave one of our strongest wizards here as well. If she gets the word, he Disapparates to us. When he arrives we go to Durmstrang, fresh and ready.

"She stays here?" Harry said gesturing to Abagail for emphasis.

"Yes. Let me go back and work it out with Ms. Muntab and the Deputy. I know he just mentioned it casually but I'm pretty sure he was fully expecting some action to be taken," Ron said.

Harry looked at Ginny and asked, "Happy?"

"No, but I'll accept it."

"Then that's the way we'll do it."

Four days later Harry was circling the unlit structure that was Durmstrang Institute as the darkness of full night fell. He spotted an isolated hollow in the hills to the west of the building and carefully dropped in for a landing. He had barely enough room to avoid brushing his wingtips on the rock faces to either side. He directed his thoughts inward and within two heartbeats he was standing in the hollow which seemed much larger now.

He pictured the front of the castle with its large foreboding double doors and Disapparated. In the blink of an eye he was standing on the stark gray stones that formed the surface of the courtyard at the front of the structure. He walked up to the door and grabbed the large iron ring knocker. The sound boomed and echoed from both behind the door and across the courtyard. It took time but the sound of bolts being thrown back was finally heard and the door opened just enough for a face to be revealed. The quizzical expression was the only invitation to speak Harry got so he took it.

"My name is Harry Potter. I'd like to speak to the Headmaster, please."

He kept his expression neutral but inwardly smiled as the beady eyes in the face barely discernable in the gloom got very wide. One hand was raised palm outward in a gesture Harry assumed meant 'please wait here'. So he did. It took perhaps ten minutes but the door opened again, this time wide enough to let someone in or out. Harry could see now that the face belonged to a man of middle but indeterminate years, pale and heavily creased. It remained expressionless and the eyes, if not dead, were barely alive. One hand held a lantern while the other waved Harry inside.

The corridor that Harry came to stand in was dimly lit and devoid of any decoration. The grey stone walls gave it a sullen, joyless atmosphere. Harry wondered if it had always been like this or if it had been stripped bare by the current regime. He followed the doorkeeper down the corridor to another set of double doors, although only half the size of the first. The man pushed one side open and beckoned Harry to enter.

Before stepping through, Harry let his senses reach out as best he could. He felt no one close to the other side of the door and his dragon self was alert but not particularly concerned. To Harry that meant there was either no danger or at least nothing he couldn't handle in one form or another. He stepped inside and looked around. It was not a particularly large room, perhaps only a quarter or less than the Great Hall. He thought that originally it likely served as a reception hall of some sort. Directly opposite from where he stood was a single chair occupied by a wizard dressed in heavy robes. He could have passed for sixty or so years of age. Standing next to him was another wizard not too much older than Harry. This one spoke.

"You are velcome to come forvard, Professor Potter."

Harry nodded a bit and said,

"Thank you," and then walked forward until he stood perhaps six paces from the pair.

"To vot do ve owe this unexpected and unannounced visit," the younger wizard asked.

"We've been hearing some very disturbing rumors about what has been happening within these walls of late. I don't put much faith in rumors so I thought I would come and see for myself."

The wizard Harry had assumed was the headmaster showed no reaction but the younger man clasped his hands in front of him and raised his eyebrows.

"Vile ve may appreciate your interest in separating truth from rumor, Professor, ve must ask the qvestion, vot business is it of yours vot goes on vithin these valls?"

Harry pondered these words and then looked directly at the older man and said,

"You have a point there, I'll grant you. Let's just say I'm naturally curious and a bit of a busy body."

The older wizard appeared perplexed and looked up at his younger companion who bent down and spoke in low tones. The older man nodded once and then waved the other off. It was apparent that he at least understood most of what Harry was saying.

"Be that as it may, ve choose to teach vot ve vill and those that vish to learn come here. Those that do not, go elsevere. And that too, is no business of yours, Professor."

"Again, I will concede your point that what occurs within these walls is your business and not mine. But understand this. The moment what you do in here," Harry said, pointing to the floor for emphasis, "causes the slightest bit of trouble out there," jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the front of the castle, "it will become my business."

As he said this, Harry started to get that little itch on the edge of his awareness that told him someone was approaching from outside his field of vision. His dragon senses also started to take note. Whoever it might be was coming up from behind and to his left. A fighter pilot would have said he had a bogey on his seven o'clock position. Harry didn't take his eyes off of the older wizard's face. He saw the man's eyes flicker to Harry's left, confirming what he felt. With no apparent effort or movement, he unleashed 'expelliarmus'. The result was the sneaking wizard's wand went flying towards the back wall of the room, as did the wizard. He crashed into the table and landed in a heap behind what was left of it. Harry maintained eye contact with the older wizard and said,

"A very wise wizard once wrote that intelligent beings have freedom of action beyond mere survival. But those actions have consequences. You are correct that you have such freedom within these walls. But let it extend beyond these walls and I am the consequences. I will come back here and pull these walls down and incinerate the wreckage. I trust I've made myself clear," he said, his voice reverberating around the room.

"A most convincing demonstration," the younger wizard said, the confidence and haughtiness gone from his voice.

"And now I'll take my leave," Harry said. "I would suggest you don't interfere."

"Ve vill not, nor vill ve assist. The doors behind you vere magically locked ven they closed behind you. You may find it more difficult to leave than you imagined," the young wizard said, his voice a little stronger.

"And then again, perhaps not," Harry said calmly.

He withdrew his ironwood wand and turned enough to point it at the doors. He said loudly but without shouting, 'Incendio Draco' and imagined it as a blunt ball. The bright ball of white hot plasma exploded from the tip of his wand and streaked towards the doors. When it struck, the wood shattered into seemingly countless flaming fragments. Harry swiveled back around bringing his wand to bear on the two now cringing wizards.

"Oh dear, I suppose I should have checked to see if anyone was on the other side. I'll be going now. I trust you'll remember what I said and that you'll inform your headmaster. I'm fairly certain now that neither of you are him."

Harry turned and made his way to the now empty doorway. Just as he was about to exit the room he turned and said,

"I suppose I should mention that I intend to keep a close watch on you. I have a friend who will help me. You can expect a visit a little later this evening."

With that he turned and left the room. As he walked toward the front doors he noticed the doorman was nowhere in sight. Not wanting to cause more destruction than was necessary he looked to see that the doors were left unbolted. He grabbed the handle and gave it a tug. The door swung open and feeling nothing threatening he walked out into the courtyard.

Harry felt confident in his abilities but he was no fool either. As soon as he was standing in the courtyard he cast an invisibility spell and turned sharply to his right. He walked close to the wall around the yard and then edged his way out of the main archway in case someone cast a spell from somewhere. Once outside the structure proper he Disapparated back to the hollow.

He took a few minutes to gather his thoughts about what had just passed. He was fairly sure he hadn't been speaking to the headmaster. He wasn't sure why he thought that but he had come to trust his feelings beyond what he was able to confirm with his normal senses. He figured by now that the two subordinates should be reporting what had happened. He was also sure that he could sense about half a dozen figures secreted in the rocks some distance to his left. He waited for a few moments and the sensation was soon gone. He had a fairly good idea who it was.

He thought about being big and within two heartbeats he filled the hollow once again. With a strong push and down sweep of his wings he was airborne and winging his way towards the school. He flew a few lazy circles observing the building which remained cloaked in darkness. He thought he could change that. Dropping lower he took careful aim and fired a blast of plasma into the courtyard. He was careful to make sure the flame winked out before it touched the gray stone paving. This was followed by a deafening roar. He continued this for approximately a quarter of an hour, flying slowly about the castle with intermittent bursts of flame followed by roaring. When he felt satisfied his message had been delivered he pointed himself homeward and flew off with gathering speed.


	21. Chapter 21

Professor Potter, Chapter 21

"Alright everyone, you've had a couple of weeks to work on your projects. Anyone having any issues or second thoughts about what they've chosen to do?" Harry asked his seventh year Applied Magic class.

"Sir, as you may recall, my project is to do a critical analysis of charms, potions and spells to try and determine what, if any, line or demarcation clearly separates the dark arts from the rest of magic. I've found plenty of material on the many different spells and so on, but I'm searching for a really definitive explanation of what exactly a dark art is. When does a spell or potion become dark?" the Ravenclaw witch asked.

"That is a very, very good question," Harry replied. "I've done a great deal of reading about magic since I graduated and I've come across that question and subsequent discussions a number of times. I can point you to some references that may help you. What I can say is that you may wind up establishing your own definition as part of the project. Some have said that a dark art is one that compels a person to do something against their will. Others suggest there must be an underlying evil intent."

"But sir, that could apply to any spell. If my intent is to take someone captive for some evil purpose 'expelliarmus' or 'incarcerous' would be considered dark arts," she said, sounded a bit exasperated.

"Just so. Professor Weasley has a three volume set of books that purports to list every dark spell, curse, potion and creature know to wizardom. Ask him if you can get access to it. Mention I suggested it. Since I gave it to him for Christmas a few years ago that should help," he said with a smile. "It might help you frame the problem a little better."

"Thank you, sir. Sir, if I could as you one more question?"

"Of course."

"Do you believe the dark arts are real?" she asked.

Harry looked down at the witch and then at the other students. He settled himself a bit on his stool and then said,

"I believe that evil deeds certainly take place. I believe that magic is worked every day for purposes that are based on greed, revenge, and just plain ill intent. What I don't believe is that there is good magic over here," he said holding up one hand palm upward, "and evil magic over here," holding up the other hand in similar fashion. "The evil that we often associate with dark magic begins here," he said, holding his hand over his heart. "Magic is like any other natural element. It exists in nature and some few of us are lucky enough to have the ability to make it work for us. We choose what we want it to do and the affect it is to have. It is true that some spells will only work well when used with evil intent but who created the spell to do that? Us. I believe that the evil originates with us, which is a pretty dismal idea I grant you, but happily it also means that it can also stop with us. We make the choice so we can choose not to use it," he finished, sitting back on his stool.

The young witch appeared very thoughtful and looked at Harry, then nodded and said,

"Thank you, Professor."

The questions from the rest of the class did not result in anything quite so deep, but were just as important to students wishing to do well. The threesome that was intent on examining Harry's formative episodes indicated they were wrestling with a conundrum. It was how to present an honest appraisal of his efforts and conclusions without seeming sycophantic on the one hand or unduly harsh on the other. Harry had a simple one word answer.

"Honesty," he said.

"Sir?" the spokeswitch asked.

"Just be honest. Present your case with facts and thoughtful, honest analysis. Let that speak for itself. Don't try to get fancy, or worse, self censor yourself because you think I might be upset with your conclusions. You've taken a bold step with this project and if done right you may even teach me some things."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

The rest of Harry's day and the days that followed went fairly well. He was satisfied that he had done as much as he could for the time being concerning Durmstrang. His willingness to allow Ron and the Tactical Squad to provide cover had done a great deal to calm Ginny's agitation about the whole expedition. He did have a discussion with Ron afterwards about the true proximity of the small team while Harry was in the castle.

"Sorry, mate, but once we started laying out the plan, the Deputy and Ms. Muntab were pretty adamant that we have some visual contact. If it was going to be one of us it was going to be all. We almost rushed the place when that explosion went off. Looked like the whole building shook but since we didn't get a go ahead from Abagail we had to sit tight. That was the hardest part."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't, you probably would have run me over in that dark hallway while I was walking out. If I hadn't said it, thanks for being there. As much for Ginny's sake as mine."

"No worries, mate. That's what I'm here for," Ron said with a smile.

He also received some good news regarding some of the early information that they were able to coax from the Tome, the teasers as Harry had called them. He received a note from Neville that asked Harry to come to the greenhouses as soon as his schedule allowed. Once classes were done for the day Harry walked over and found his way back to the greenhouse that was the Potter Institute. Harry wasn't thrilled with the short form of the Institutes name because it implied, he thought, that it was named for him instead of his parents but there wasn't much he could do about it. Regardless he was happy to see his old friend, who was definitely excited about something.

"Harry, I'm so glad you could make it so soon. Please come in, you've got to see this."

"Hi, Neville. What's go you so worked up?" he asked.

"It's that plant that you told me about months ago. I went out this summer and found some samples. We've been growing them in a separate section from the plants we've been working on since we started. It's really an amazing plant. Come see."

Harry followed his enthusiastic friend into a back corner of the greenhouse where some special tables had been set up to grow the newly found plant. At first glance it didn't appear to be anything special. It stood about a foot above the dirt in the pots it was planted in. It had broad green leaves that were unremarkable in color, shape or size. What it did have was the most beautiful looking flower Harry had ever seen. The color was unlike anything Harry had ever seen before because as he looked at it the colors shifted and shimmered, not unlike a silk dress might as the wearer moved, but so much more so. A student of art might compare the difference to that between a Rembrandt and a pencil sketch. It had soft fragrance that gave Harry a feeling of contentment. He imagined that if he was in a poor mood he would be feeling markedly better.

"That's quite a bloom, Neville. I doubt even Abagail would find a way to paint it. The fragrance is very interesting," he said.

"That's what we thought, Harry. We thought that there might be some uses for it for people with depressive moods or the like. Then we came across something pretty amazing. I was working one night pretty late. We had been repotting plants that were outgrowing their containers and I was tired, sore and really dirty. I came back here to clean up,'' he said, pointing to a nearby wash basin. "I happened to look at these plants. The moon was shining on them and the flowers were pulled up tight, looking more like a bud. I noticed that a clear fluid with a purplish tint was dripping down the side of the bud and dropping into the soil. I took a vial and collected as much as I could from all of the plants, and we've been experimenting with it."

"Something good, I suspect?" Harry prompted.

"Amazing. We found that if we concentrate it by about twice and then warm the concentrate so that it gives of vapors it has amazing rejuvenating capabilities. Now I'm not saying it is a fountain of youth or a cure-all. But for a period of time after the vapors are inhaled it relieves the symptoms of a lot of different ailments. We've been experimenting on animals so far, but all those that we've tried that have had aches, pains, illnesses and the like, all respond incredibly after being exposed to the fumes. We think it could have real application to things like arthritis, lung conditions, muscle pains, all kinds of things."

"Wow," Harry said, truly impressed. "That's terrific, Neville. Have you been talking to St. Mungo's yet?"

"Yes, they are going to run some trials after we do a bit more to see if there are any ill side effects, but so far so good," Neville said with a broad smile.

"That's great. I'm really glad to see all your hard work is paying off."

"Thanks, Harry, but you have a hand in this too you know. You found the original references," Neville said.

"More luck than anything, Nev. Right time, right place."

"Well, I hope you spend more time in that place and time," Neville said with a grin.

As Harry was walking back up to the school for dinner he had to smile to himself. This discovery might not be the cure for all ills but if it's potential for relieving pain and other debilitating symptoms was realized it would go a long way to help a lot of people. It might also be a portent for things to come. He thought that he needed to check with Professor Slughorn about the potion formula he found in that puzzle that they had deciphered. He was curious about what kind of potion it was for.

Halloween was quickly approaching and that meant the Halloween Ball for Harry and Ginny, which they always looked forward to. With Bill and Fleur also attending three children needed babysitters. Harry had assumed that Abagail and Gabrielle were going to be pressed into service but something new was added to the mix. Apparently George and Angelina came up with the idea of a street festival or sorts for Diagon Alley. They developed the idea in the spring and spent all summer talking it up amongst the other shopkeepers. The concept took hold and what emerged was an event that would begin at sundown and run until midnight. Shops would be open, treats would be available and there would be music and other street entertainment. Abagail had been able to convince Angus to go along and apparently Gabrielle had arranged to meet a young, relatively new clerk at the London store of WWWs to meet her there. This meant the grandparents needed to be pressed into service. Pressed probably wasn't the right word. It was all Harry and Ginny could do to keep them from showing up at noon. Bill and Fleur would bring Victoire and Dominique and little Fred was also to be there.

At this point Grandmother Weasley decided that why shouldn't they have the opportunity for a party so Andromeda Tonks and Teddy were invited as well as Percy and Audrey and Charlie. Eleanor was away for a series of matches on the road. By the time all the children were gathered, and the four headed for Hogwarts were preparing to leave, the house was full of floating candles, Jack-o-lanterns and an array of treats. Snuffles was dressed in various bits and pieces that the children could find and was nearly delirious from all the attention.

As the Hogwarts professors and their wives gathered on the front portico to Apparate to Hogwarts Bill looked back over his shoulder and said,

"Want to bet they have more fun than we do?"

"Nonsense, 'usband," Fleur gently admonished him. "We will dance and enjoy the company of other adults, not to mention witness the annual visit of the 'ogwarts guardian angel," she said, looking fondly at Harry.

Harry just shrugged and after several comments of exasperation they all disappeared from the steps to appear in front of the Hogwarts gates. A brisk breeze was blowing and they hurried up to the entrance to the castle to be admitted by Stan Shunpike, dressed in stiff looking formal attire. Harry looked at the young man and said,

"Stan, is it my imagination or is your face cleared up?"

"Oi, right you are, Professor. Prof Slughorn whipped me up a batch of somethin' new and it works a treat. So desperate was I, I volunteered to be a wotchacallit, one of those pig things. He sez if it works out and he can sell it to someone he was goin' to give me a bonus," Stan said with a smile.

"That's brilliant, Stan. Good luck with it," Harry said as they walked inside.

Stan bowed stiffly and then swung the door shut. The two couples walked arm-in-arm into the Great Hall which was arranged for the Ball. A number of greetings were called out and since the music had already begun they headed straight for the dance floor. As had become the custom husband and wife shared the first two dances and then partners were exchanged. As Harry worked to keep up with Fleur he couldn't help but notice those intense blue eyes regarding him closely. He was pretty sure at some point she would have some things to say to him. As the music for the third dance wound down, the two couples reunited with their spouses and they made their way up to the table set aside for them on the dais.

"What a wonderful start to our evening," Ginny said. "I can't tell you how much I like the healed Harry to the hurt one."

"I will keep that in mind, Mrs. Potter, and endeavor to always keep myself healthy and whole and at your disposal," Harry said seriously.

"I was theenkeeng the same theeng myself, 'arry. Eet ees so good to see you able to eenjoy yourself like thees," Fleur commented.

"I'm fairly happy about it myself," Harry said with a bit of an edge to his voice. "It's not like I enjoy being banged up. All in all, mobile and pain free is definitely preferable to being on my back in a sickbed."

"We know that, Harry," Ginny said soothingly, laying a hand on his arm. "It's just that we're happy to see you this way and want to let you know."

"And, you'd prefer I keep my adventuring to a minimum and when necessary not go it alone, correct?"

"Well, yes, that would be nice, certainly," Ginny said with a straight face.

Harry decided not to rise to any more bait and suggested they get something to eat. When they arrived at the table Harry saw Anton DuBonais piling a plate with a variety of items from the buffet table.

"I see you've managed to come to terms with the menu here, Mr. DuBonais," Harry said with a smile.

"In a manna of speakin', suh," the tall boy said, flashing a grin.

He reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a bottle that appeared to contain a bright red liquid with no label on it.

"My mama's special sauce," he added and with a nod turned and carried his burdened plate back to his table.

"Who was that, Harry? I don't recognize him," Ginny said.

"You wouldn't, Gin. He's a first year in Hufflepuff. That's Anton DuBonais. He's from America, the Cajun country of Louisiana."

"He's a first year? My goodness, he's so big."

"That he is. Madame Hooch and the entire Hufflepuff Quidditch team are helping him with his broom flying. Poor fellow has a fear of heights. But can you imagine him on a broom with a beater bat?" Harry said with a mock shudder.

This got a laugh and then the four filled plates to one degree or another. Harry was supplied a platter to save him the extra trips and he used both hands to carry it back. They took their seats at the table and began to eat. As was his habit when eating in the Great Hall, Harry let his eyes roam over the students. It felt strange not to find Abagail out there but he knew that in the long career that he hoped he would have, many students would come and go.

His eyes came to a rest on a pair of students dancing to a moderately paced piece of music. Harry recognized them as Rhys-Jones, the lonely first year from his first year of teaching while on sabbatical. His partner was the very talkative and quite irrepressible Catherine Biggsby. As they danced Harry could see that she was, as usual, chatting away happily and by the look on his face, Rhys-Jones was just as happy to be listening. Since they were third years, Harry didn't have them in any classes this year. When the song stopped the two made their way back to their table, hand in hand.

Harry smiled to himself and wondered what it might have been like to have had an evening like this when he was a third year. He was deep into this line of thinking when he felt a nudge at his elbow.

"Harry, what's wrong, sweetheart? You're just staring off into space and not eating anything," Ginny said.

Harry came back to himself and looked to see Ginny regarding him, her warm brown eyes full of concern. Harry smiled a bit and gave her arm a squeeze.

"I'm fine, dear, I was just thinking."

"About?" she prompted.

"I was just doing a bit of 'what if' I guess."

"What eef? What does that mean, 'arry?" Fleur asked.

"I was wondering what if my time at Hogwarts had been more normal," he said quietly.

"You'd like your life to be different, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Not how it turned out, love," he said, smiling and taking her hand, "but maybe the path it took to get here. Do you see that young fellow sitting at the table near the main entrance with the girl talking away to him?"

"Yes, what about them?"

"Do you remember the lonely boy I told you about when I was doing my sabbatical teaching and we were living in the little house in Hogsmeade?" he asked.

"Yes, oh, you mean that's him? It looks like things turned out well for him," she replied as she observed the young couple.

"Seeing them dancing made me think about what it would have been like if I, we I guess, had had the chance to do the kinds of things youngsters of that age are supposed to do. That's all. Haven't you ever thought 'what if'?" he asked.

"Yes, Harry, I did, often. And always about you," she said with a small smile. "Fortunately, most of my 'what if's came true," she said and then leaned in and kissed his cheek.

That helped Harry shake off the bit of melancholy his what-iffing had caused and he smiled. The conversation turned to the prospect of having the visiting teachers for the new school being in residence next term. Harry had already discussed the possibility of boarding several of them at Meadow Crest with Ginny. She had no objections but was curious what Harry would do regarding the Tome project. She was sure he wouldn't want anyone stumbling on it by accident.

"So what arrangements did you make, Harry," Bill asked.

"I talked to the study group and what we agreed to was they would make copies of what they thought they needed for the month or so, and we'd stop work in the house," Harry replied.

"Seems the prudent thing to do," Bill agreed.

They chatted some more and as Harry looked out once again he noticed that some of the students were paying attention to the magical ceiling while others looked to the main entrance. He looked back at his table companions and saw Fleur regarding him with a raised eyebrow, an amused smirk on her face.

"Yes, I suppose it is getting to be about time, isn't it? Would you excuse me please?" he asked.

"Are you going to give us any hint as to tonight's performance," Ginny asked with a straight face.

"Performance?" he asked with a snort.

Harry took his leave of the table with the ladies laughing quietly and Bill shaking his head, smiling. He moved as quickly as he could without drawing attention to himself and was soon out the door and on to the path leading down towards Hagrid's hut. Once past the hut he spelled himself into invisibility and cut back to the main gate. He Disapparated up to his spot in the hills and within two heartbeats he filled the hollow with his bulk. He pushed off and swept up into the dark, star studded sky. Harry, regardless of the reason, always reveled in the feel of natural flight. To climb and dive, turn and roll without conscious thought or the need for a broom was a thrill he knew he could never convey to anyone.

He came in across the large expanse of lawn and pulled up to sail up and over the castle. He curved back around and as he passed back over the building, he saw the students boiling out of the main entrance. He lit up the night sky with a blast of fire and continued on skimming low over he trees. He scanned the forest below and thought he saw an assemblage of Centaurs in the small clearing that was normally where he met with his friends. He swept further over the forest and then pulled upwards gaining altitude. He turned and headed back towards the castle.

When he spotted the students assembled on the lawn he just couldn't help himself. He tucked his legs up and pulled his wings back and began to plummet towards them. At the last moment he flared his wings and pulled out of the dive to sweep at high speed over the heads of the students, most of whom dove to the ground. He could hear the yells and screams as he rocketed overhead. Then he did something unexpected. He pulled around again and came to a hover just in front of the crowd. He dropped to the ground on all fours with a thud.

For a moment he stood at full height looking down at the large group of black robed students. Then he lowered his head so that he could regard them at a more even level. Not unlike the day he first revealed himself as a dragon to Professor McGonagall where he was able to discern some aspects of her person, he noted interesting auras, for lack of a better word, hovering about the assembled students. He felt if he looked at them one at a time he would have been able to weigh them somehow. He'd be able to determine their worth as individuals, as wizards and witches. Something about that disturbed him but he wasn't sure why.

His attention was refocused on the crowd when a familiar figure detached itself from the crowd and moved forward. It was Anton DuBonais. He had a look of fascination on his face. He stopped about five paces from the end of Harry's snout and said to no one in particular,

"Whoeeee, now ain't dat sumptin. De biggest 'gator I ever did see and wings ta boot."

He started to come closer to the dragon, but Harry blew out heavily through his nostrils, blowing the boys robes around his legs. The boy smiled and said,

"I gets the message. Dis be far enough, right? But ain't you de darndess t'ing I ever did see."

Anton started to back away and Harry brought his head up and with a last look he vaulted into the sky and turned to skim over the lake and back to the hollow in the hills behind Hogsmeade. Once on the ground he resumed his normal form and Disapparated back to the gates and made his way back around to Hagrid's hut and then up the path to the castle. There were still many students standing outside talking and as he passed he heard the following,

"What are you, some kind of crazy yank?" an older wizard said to Anton.

"I ain't no yankee, I'm from Nawlins," he said.

Harry shook his head and continued on into the castle and back into the Great Hall. He mounted the dais and sat back down. Ginny gave him a hug and said,

"That should keep them buzzing for a week or so."

"Only a week? I must be losing my touch," Harry said with a smile.

The morning after the Ball and the Halloween street fair, Harry was sitting in the kitchen, eating his breakfast before returning to the school. Abagail came in and dropped into a chair on the other side of the table. She looked a little tired but happy.

"Hiya, Harry. How did the Ball go last night?"

"It was a lot of fun, as usual, little one. How was the street fair? Did you all have fun?"

"It was brilliant, Harry. Lots of decorations, lights, people, we had a fabulous time," she said with enthusiasm.

"Even Angus?" he asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

"Well, Angus being Angus he didn't say a great deal, but he was smiling, looking at everything going on. Even the crowds didn't seem to bother him much. I did have to drag him out of Flourish and Blotts. He does love his books. Reminds me of someone I know," she finished with a little grin.

"I'm glad you had such a good time. How did Gabrielle enjoy it?"

"She had a good time, as well, although I think that had more to do with a certain dark haired clerk. Not that I blame her, he is rather gorgeous," she said with a giggle.

Harry simply regarded her with raised eyebrows. She just winked at him and then started helping her self to some of the food on the table. After Harry had come back into the Great Hall the night before he and Ginny did a lot more dancing and she was pretty tired when they got home, so she was having a bit of a lie in as long as James slept. Which according to his grandmother should be a while still. The Weasley grandkids, including Ted with honorary status, had run themselves ragged the night before.

Harry finished his breakfast and started to get up when Abagail said,

"Not yet, Harry, please. I have something for you. Hang on a moment."

She got up and dashed out into the hall and came back soon after with a flat package in her hands. She held it out and he took it from her. He looked up at her and said,

"Shall I open it here?"

"Well, of course," she said.

He undid the paper and pulled it off. Underneath was a framed painting in oils of the front of the house and the landscape for twenty or so feet away from the house. Harry looked at it closely, marveling at its detail and exactitude. He finally looked up at Abagail, her face expectant.

"My goodness, Abagail. This is wonderful. It looks so real. The colors and everything, I can't thank you enough for this. I can look at this and feel like I'm standing right out front," he said, a touch of awe in his voice.

"You're very welcome, Harry. It was my pleasure to do it for you. Plus it was so much fun, to just paint for the sake of painting. It was almost like I forgot what it was like. Thank you for reminding me," she said, coming around the table to hug him and this time give him a kiss on the top of the head.

A little while later he left for Hogwarts, the flat package rewrapped and under his arm. As soon as he arrived at the school he headed to his sparely furnished and undecorated room and he hung the painting on the wall, directly across from his bed, so he would be able to look at it before he doused the lights for the night.

Once again in the days following the appearance of the dragon, there was a great deal of discussion amongst the students regarding the behaviors and intent of the dragon. Of those conversations that Harry was able to overhear or take part in it amused him to hear how far away they all were from the real intent but one. That the dragon was claiming Hogwarts and announcing his protection of the grounds and it's inhabitants. The rest was part fancy, part guess and part woeful ignorance of the nature of dragons, lesser or greater. He was not about to try and change anyone's mind.

As autumn deepened towards winter the weather cooled and the skies tended towards that sullen gray that promised snow. This year the promise arrived early and often. The first snow fell three days after Halloween and came to some degree or another every third or fourth day. Some days it was flurries of big fat flakes, on others it was a howling North Sea gale with biting pellets of ice. The reaction of the students was as varied as the snowflakes. Some reveled in the ability to frolic in the deep white powder or roll balls of damp packing snow to make men, forts, and snowballs by the hundreds. Others lamented the cold and refused to venture outdoors unless absolutely required by class needs.

One of these was Anton DuBonais. Harry encountered the tall first year one evening while he was staying up at Hogwarts. Harry was at his usual place when the young wizard sat down across from him. Harry looked up and said,

"Good evening, Mr. DuBonais. How are you getting on?"

"It is beaucoup cold out dere, Professor. I'm not ready for dat. Ain't no snow in de bayou."

"I can imagine it's not something you're used to. I've spent ten or so winters up here and I've seen it with almost no snow and then again I've seen it piled up to the second floor windows. That was a really bad winter," he said remembering his sabbatical year and the ridiculous amounts of accumulation.

"De second flo', suh? Dat's crazy. What did y'all do?" the boy asked, amazed.

"We stayed inside and did the best we could to keep each other sane. My wife was pregnant then and living in the town. I had to send her home to her mum, otherwise she would have been trapped in the little house we were living in."

"Lawd, suh, I hope we don't get dat dis yeah. I don't wanna get used ta mo' than one t'ing at a time."

Harry smiled and said,

"If it's any consolation to you, young fellow, I'd say you've settled in very nicely. You've adapted to quite a lot in the last few months and your work is coming along well," Harry said.

"Well, t'ank ya, suh. Make no mistake, I do enjoy it heah, but I do dearly wish it was a bit warmah."

"Oddly enough, Mr. Dubonais, so do I. So do I."


	22. Chapter 22

Professor Potter, Chapter 22

Harry, Ginny and James were sitting at the kitchen table having Saturday morning breakfast. James was doing a commendable job of trying to feed himself and creating only a marginal mess on his high chair. Snuffles was making quick work of anything that hit the floor and therefore containing the overall damage. It was the first weekend in December and Harry was enjoying the relative warmth of the south of England as opposed to the harsh weather that had settled on the Highlands. It didn't look like it was going to be as bad as two years earlier but even a normal winter was not to be scoffed at. Harry was finishing up his second plate when Abagail practically skipped into the room.

"Good morning, family mine. How are we all doing this morning?" she said in her barely there voice.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Ginny said as Abagail came up and gave both she and James quick kisses.

Harry got a hug around the shoulders to go with his kiss on the cheek and he smiled as he watched her drop down into a chair. He titled his head as he looked at her and said,

"Someone seems to be in a particularly good mood this morning," Harry said.

"Well, I have some pretty good reasons to be in a good mood. My second book has gone to print and I just recently received my first royalties for the Magical Creatures book. It's not a fortune but surely nothing to sneeze at. I started my own account at Gringotts," she said with a grin.

"That's great, sweetheart," Ginny said. "That's very responsible of you."

"I agree, I'm very proud of you, young lady," Harry said in his most serious voice, but spoiling the effect with a wink. "And is your new found financial success your only reason for being so happy?"

"No, I'd say it's just the result of the general goodness of my life right now," she said.

"General goodness?" Harry asked, his eyebrows up.

"Yup. My own term, just made it up," she said with an impish grin.

Harry and Ginny exchanged looks but didn't press the matter. They had both observed a definite upswing in the girl's mood since Halloween. But such matters were going to have to wait. Christmas was barely three weeks away and that would be followed by the arrival of the ten teacher candidates from the new, as yet unnamed school for magic in Bulgaria. Based on that number it appeared they were still two short. Harry wondered if it was from lack of candidates or a very careful screening committee. Considering what occurred at Durmstrang, he couldn't really blame them.

Speaking of Durmstrang, that afternoon Harry received a visit from Milligan. Kreacher showed him to the library after announcing his arrival. Harry looked up from his reading, a new tract taken from the later part of the Tome, and said,

"Good afternoon, Milligan. What's new in the world?"

"Some interesting bits and pieces coming out of the east from our friends the animagi. It seems they took it upon themselves to keep an eye on Durmstrang after your visit. It's gotten very quiet there. After your explosive exit and then the visit from that big green dragon, most of the remaining students bolted. Not more than a handful left now. There's still the creatures, the giant is pretty active around the place, but not much of anything else. The wizards tend to stay in their living quarters or workrooms and rarely venture outside the building. It appears you managed to capture their attention."

"I'm glad the trip was worthwhile. I just hope they stay that way. I wish there was something I could do for the three anamagi that helped us out, even if it's just to say thank you," Harry said and then he stopped and looked at Milligan. "Wait a minute. How did you know about the dragon? Ron and his team left, who weren't supposed to be there by the way, before it showed up."

"Well, Chief, what kind of chief investigator would I be if I couldn't find things out," he said mildly. "Anyway the agreement was that we keep their identities under wraps, at least of the time being. But if you want to write out some personal notes of thanks, I'll make sure they get to them," Milligan replied.

Harry looked at Milligan and then shrugged, knowing he wasn't going to get anymore out of him and said,

"That would be great. I'll send them in to you in the next couple of days. How are things going otherwise? The Tactical Squad seems to be shaping up, how about the rest of them?" Harry asked.

"I'd imagine Muntab's Mob is likely to graduate to full Auror status sometime early next year, probably before the end of winter. Your friend Goldstein is turning into a first class investigator. He's very sharp, knows the right questions to ask, and more importantly, how to ask them. And the kid has the temperament of a terrier. He just digs and digs until he finds his rat."

Harry smiled and nodded before saying,

"What about the Patrollers, are they working out to our original expectations?"

"I'd say so, perhaps even better. Hogsmeade stays quieter. Madame Rosemerta sent a letter to the Director thanking him for the big reduction in breakage at her inn and we pick up all kinds of tidbits of information these days. We have three active investigations underway based on tips we've gotten through them."

"That's terrific. Please tell them that I said hello and how proud I am of their work."

"Why not tell them yourself?" Milligan said.

"How's that?"

Milligan reached into his robe and pulled out a piece of parchment. It was folded but Harry could see the scalloped and gilt edges, and that meant something formal. He took it from Milligan and opened it. In flowing calligraphy it read,

The Director of Magical Law Enforcement extends an invitation to former Chief of Magical Law Enforcement Harry James Potter to attend the first Annual Department Christmas Party to be held at the Leaky Cauldron, 21 December, commencing at 7:30 P.M.

Harry looked at Milligan and said,

"A personal invitation from the Director? They couldn't just have Ron ask me to come?"

"Please, Chief, don't you think you at least deserve an invitation? I was told that I shouldn't leave until I have a commitment from you to attend, and if you refuse, off-duty patrollers would camp on your lawn all day, every day until you gave in," Milligan said with a grin.

"It won't have to get that extreme. I'll be there and gladly."

"Good, I wasn't looking forward to being thrown bodily out of your fine home," Milligan replied matter-of-factly.

Harry could only shake his head and laugh. One of the few things Harry missed about working at the Ministry was his former head investigators sardonic wit.

Back at school, holiday fever was starting to take hold. The substantial but seasonable snowpack provided plenty of opportunity for impromptu sledding, snowball fights and someone, their identity unknown to the population at large, was building a series of fantastic snow sculptures. After the first few began to appear in the late days of November, volunteers tried to keep watch but every few mornings a new one would appear somewhere on the grounds in clear sight of the castle. And it wasn't just the mysterious appearances, but the shapes of the sculptures that caught the imagination of the Hogwarts staff and students. The first few were fairly basic shapes, a classic snowman, then a snowwoman, then a more humanlike figure. After that the figures turned more whimsical, bordering on abstract art.

After the third appeared, Professor McGonagall issued a decree that no one should touch the pieces of snow art, but reminded everyone that no student was allowed outside their dorm rooms after the proscribed time and most certainly should not be outdoors. The last serious work to get done before the break was a midpoint progress report on the projects Harry had assigned. By and large the students were progressing according to their plans but a few had hit some obstacles.

The first was a project Harry felt contained some hazards but was convinced to allow it since it had the endorsement of Professor Slughorn. A trio of intrepid Hufflepuffs wanted to investigate the root cause of how healing potions worked. Apparently the trio was inspired by the work Professor Sprout and Neville were doing. Unfortunately during an experiment to try and isolate certain elements in a potion ingredient something when very wrong and the test apparatus disappeared in a thundering explosion. They informed Harry that they were now two weeks behind as a result of the need to rebuild the test set up and to get their ears to stop ringing. They intended to return to Hogwarts directly after Christmas to try and make up the time.

The Ravenclaw witch who was working on the question of a line between good and evil magic indicated she had indeed been granted access to Bill's books but that only served to bolster her underlying data on how much magic could be attributed to the dark side. It still didn't help her answer the question of what made dark magic dark. Harry questioned her about the references he had given her and she said only a couple were available in the library at Hogwarts. Harry nodded as if he suspected that might be the case and said,

"Well, I suppose you should plan on paying me a visit at home during the break if possible. You can take a look at what I have available."

The girl looked a little stunned and said,

"I'm sorry, sir, but did you say I should come to your house? Use your private library?"

"Yes, that's right," Harry replied mildly.

"Oh, well, alright. Thank you, sir. I'll do that," she replied, still sounding a bit bewildered.

Unbeknownst to Harry he had just started a tradition that would follow him during his entire career at Hogwarts. Any student that had difficulty locating some arcane reference in the school library would know to inquire of Professor Potter if he might have a copy available. If he did, the student was invited to come to Harry's house to use it. No volume was ever allowed to leave the library. While not frequent, usually several times a term, a student would be ensconced on the couch in the library pouring through some old volume, usually on a Saturday afternoon, and almost always in the company of the Professor himself, reading in his favorite chair.

"Now, how are my biographers doing?" Harry asked, looking at the three Ravenclaws who were doing their project based on him.

"Oh, yes, we are moving along, sir. We've managed to get all the written sources reviewed and we've begun talking to members of the staff and faculty here that have known you. Several questions have come up that it was suggested we address directly to you, sir."

"By whom?" Harry asked, but he thought he knew.

"Um, Professor Dumbledore, sir," she said a bit tentatively.

"I thought as much. Can it wait until after the break?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, sir, that is preferable. We still have some work to do to make sure the questions are the right ones and we understand the context in which we should ask them."

"Fair enough, when we all get back, see me about setting up a time," he replied.

"Yes, sir and thank you, sir."

And that was essentially that. On the last day he had a little fun with his first year Transfiguration class, changing various bits and pieces into Christmas tree ornaments and handing them out to the students to take home for the holidays. One precocious young wizard was able to make a transformation himself and offered it to Harry for his home tree. Harry accepted it gladly and despite the fact that it had only five sides and was a little ragged along the edges, it was a rather nice attempt at a wooden snowflake.

After the last class before the break Harry went to his room to pack the few spare items he kept there for emergencies. Ginny insisted he bring them home for washing whether they had been worn or not. As he closed the small case he used he looked up at the painting of the house. He loved to look at it from a distance, reminding himself of the view from the edge of the actual meadow that often served as an impromptu Quidditch pitch. This time he paid more attention to the details, how sharply every window and door stood out as well as other architectural details that made the house so distinctive. Something caught his eye and he leaned closer and as he examined it closely he began to smile.

Harry arrived on the portico as the sun was setting and a chill breeze blew around the house. He smiled at the large wreath hung on the front door. Kreacher swung the door open and Harry stepped through to find the house warm, well lit and fragrant with the scent of evergreen boughs. Someone had done some very serious decorating and they were still at it.

"Welcome home, sweetheart," Ginny called out from the top of the stairs where she was finishing up wrapping the banister in a garland of evergreen and red berries.

"You've certainly been busy, the house looks fantastic. Did you do all this yourself?" he asked.

"Of course not. I had helpers. Abagail has been very busy, she even managed to get Angus to come up and help with things that had to be placed where neither of us could reach," Ginny said.

Harry considered this for a moment and said,

"Um, Gin, the two of you are quite capable witches. Have you forgotten how to levitate something?"

"Of course we haven't, silly boy. First of all it's fun to do things with your hands. I hope I don't have to explain the second reason. I'll be terribly disappointed in you if I do," she said with a grin.

Harry just nodded. He handed his case to Kreacher who took it off towards the laundry. Harry hung his cloak and robe in the closet under the stairs and went looking for Abagail. He found her in the living room adjusting an ornament here or there, then stepping back to appraise it with an artist's eye.

"It looks magnificent, little one," Harry said from the entryway.

"Harry! My goodness, I didn't hear you there," she said, startled. "I'm glad you like it."

"That's a quite a tree, it must have taken some serious levitation to get all of that so nicely arranged up towards the top," he commented mildly.

"Some, but we had a little help as well," she replied with a smirk.

"So I hear," he said stepping into the room.

"You like it, Harry?" Ginny said, walking in behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Indeed, I do. I'm glad you thought to decorate the house. I know we do Christmas at the Burrow but I think it's good we pay attention to it as a family here as well. Speaking of which, where's the young man?"

"Sound asleep in his room. He was so excited about the decorations he was running all over the place trying to see everything. It was so cute, but he also got underfoot a lot. He fell asleep in here on the floor about an hour ago."

Harry laughed a bit and then turned back to Abagail and said,

"As for you, young miss, I wanted to say thank you again for the painting of the house. I had a chance to examine it in much more detail this afternoon. I appreciate the little touch you added."

"What touch would that be, Harry?" she asked.

"Oh come on now, don't play coy with me like that. You know the detail I mean," Harry said, but seeing her questioning look he continued. "In the window of the room directly above the living room."

"Harry, I didn't put anything in that window, or any of them. I just painted the windows," she said.

"There's a figure in that window, little one. From the waist up, long red hair, green eyes."

Abagail just shook her head. Ginny still had her arms around his waist but had moved around so that she was looking up at him from his side. She was about to say something when the both of them felt a comforting warmth accompanying a slight pressure around their upper bodies. Just on the edge of hearing Harry could just make out the words,

"Happy Christmas, Harry, we love you."

Through tear blurred eyes Harry could see Abagail moving toward them, almost as if she were being gently tugged. She joined them in the hug and they stayed like that for some minutes. Harry now had no doubt as to how the figure in the painting got there.

Ginny was the first to say something when she looked at Harry and said,

"Harry, isn't your party tonight?"

Harry blinked a bit and looked down at his wife and said,

"You're right. I almost forgot about that. I guess I better go and get myself cleaned up and dressed. You don't mind me going?"

"Of course not. I'm sure you'll behave yourself and not damage too many of Hannah's fixtures," she teased him.

Harry could hear Abagail snicker a bit and he let both of them go.

"Well thank you so very much for that vote of confidence," he replied and then made his way to their room to get ready.

Harry hugged and kissed his two 'girls' good bye and without any further admonishments to behave himself he went outside and prepared to Disapparate to the Diagon Alley entrance to the Cauldron. The temperature was falling and the air had the feel of snow. Perhaps they were in for a white Christmas. In the blink of an eye, or there abouts, he appeared at the back door. It was a bit past 7:30 and it sounded as if a significant crowd was already inside. As he stepped inside the Cauldron he was hit with a wave of warmth and considerable noise.

Someone noticed him coming in and he was barraged by a number of shouted greetings, mostly just calling out his name. This was quickly followed by handshakes, backslaps and in two instances hugs. It took at least a quarter of an hour for Harry to make his way through the assemblage of patrollers and Aurors and to find out what the noise was really about. He heard it from Ron.

"Hey, mate. I guess you haven't heard. As of the first of February all the trainees move up to full Auror status. We made it," Ron crowed.

Harry's eyes went wide and he smiled broadly. He caught his brother up in a bear hug, who returned the favor. This led to another round of handshakes and backslaps with Harry handing out the lion's share. Parvati Patil and Katie Bell each hugged Harry again and Katie said, without letting go,

"Thank you, Harry. I didn't really know what I was going to do after school. You gave us all such a wonderful opportunity."

Harry looked at his former teammate and said,

"Maybe, but you all made the opportunity work. You put in the time and the effort. You deserve this. I can't tell you all how proud I am," the last he said to the group in general.

Once the soon to be Aurors gave Harry the chance he began to make his way around the room to exchange greetings with other patrollers and Aurors. When asked who was left to keep an eye on things he was told that the staff had grown a bit in the last two years and the streets were well protected. Milligan introduced Harry to two younger wizards that he didn't recognize at all, which he thought was strange since if they were recent recruits he should have known them from Hogwarts.

"Chief, here are two recently added members of the Patroller unit, Gaston D'arbanville and Heinrich Baumgarten. They both graduated from Beauxbaton five years ago and come to us by way of our contacts we've made the last few years," Milligan said.

"That explains why I didn't recognize you. It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen," Harry said, holding out his hand.

There was apparent hesitation but Baumgarten was the first to accept and he shook Harry's hand firmly but Harry thought his hand was a bit clammy. The same was true of D'arbanville when he followed suit. Harry thought it odd but said nothing. After an hour or so of roaming about the room and trying to make sure he talked to everyone Harry found himself sitting at a small table with Ron, Anthony Goldstein and Katie Bell. Someone had gotten Harry something to drink and he was listening to the other three fill him in on what had been going on of late.

"I must say, Harry," Anthony began and then the look on his face suggested he may have misspoke.

Harry laughed and said,

"Anthony, any member of the D.A. has every right to use my first name, no matter how things turned out. Go ahead."

"Right, thanks," Goldstein said, looking relieved. "It's been so fascinating. I never realized how much satisfaction I could get out of puzzling out how something happened or who might have done it. And the Deputy Chief has taught me so much. He still heads up the MIU and swears he's not going to give it up anytime soon."

"I'm glad to hear that. He did a tremendous job for me," Harry said. "And how about you two? I know a few things from what Ron tells me but I have the feeling there is a lot more going on."

"A lot of it has been training, Harry," Katie said. "Really, really hard training. If I didn't know better I'd say they were staying up nights thinking of new ways to torture us."

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they were. I can imagine some of the old timers grousing about those kids and how it wasn't like this back in my day," Harry said in a fair imitation of an older wizard.

"Yeah, something like that, mate," Ron said with a laugh.

They chatted for a bit more and then the front door of the Cauldron opened and in walked Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Director, Abernathy Grimsson. The noise subsided substantially and the Minister took the opportunity to smile and wave, saying,

"Happy Christmas, everyone. Please carry on, we're all off duty tonight," he said, his eyes sweeping around the room and catching sight of Harry. "Harry! I was hoping we'd see you here tonight."

Harry stood, as did the others as the Minister and Director walked over to their table. Shacklebolt smiled and extended his hand to Harry.

"Harry, I can't tell you how good it is to see you here. I'm glad you're taking some time for some relaxation."

"Thank you, sir, Mr. Grimsson. I guess you could say I'm learning. You know Ron, Katie and Anthony I suspect?" Harry asked.

"Of course, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Bell, Mr. Goldstein. Congratulations on your upcoming promotions, they are all well deserved. And might I add a 'well done' for you Mr. Goldstein. That was very impressive work on that counterfeit galleons investigation."

When Anthony looked surprised the Minister laughed and said,

"Don't look so surprised, young fellow. I read Director Grimsson's reports most carefully. A habit I picked up during Harry's tenure as Chief. Now please, let's sit down for a few moments if you don't mind."

With that two more chairs were pulled up and the conversation that took place was mostly between the Minister and Harry, with a few comments provided by the Director and the other three simply sat and watched in amazement.

"So, Harry, my sources tell me that you're settled in well at Hogwarts. Is it what you hoped for?"

"Yes, sir, more so than I could have imagined. I can honestly say I'm where I belong and happy to be there."

"I'm truly glad to hear that, Harry. You deserve it. Of course I'll finally have to resign myself to the notion I won't ever be able to coax you back," the Minister said with a smile, "but I hope you'll remember the promise you made me before you left."

"Promise, sir?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that you'd be available on occasion for discussions."

"Oh, yes, sir, of course. I recall and yes, I'm still available," Harry replied.

"Excellent. I was hoping you'd have some time between Christmas and New Years. It's pretty quiet in the office that week and we could talk undisturbed," the Minister suggested.

"That would be fine, sir. Just let know now the day and time and I'll be there."

"Thank you, Harry. I appreciate it very much. Well, I guess I should circulate a bit but I wanted to make sure I had the chance to talk to you. Enjoy your holidays everyone and I'll see you in a week or so, Harry," the Minister said as he and the Director stood up.

"Yes, sir," Harry said with the others chiming in.

As the two older men walked away his three companions were looking at Harry. He looked back with a quizzical expression on his face and said,

"What?"

"It's just that you've been gone, what, almost two years now and the Minister still wants to talk things over with you," Anthony Goldstein said.

"It's not a big deal, Anthony. It's just that I have some experiences and information and it must help to be able to talk to someone from the outside. Get some different perspectives. That's just smart management I'd say."

"But he did walk straight over here, Harry," Katie added.

"Right, and the first thing he wanted to know was if there was any way he could get me out of Hogwarts," Harry said with a laugh.

The others just shook their heads but let it drop. The conversation turned to matters of family, future plans and the like. As the party started to wind down and various people began to head for home, Milligan wandered over to sit down with Harry, who was still talking to Ron.

"It was good that you had the chance to be here, Chief. A lot of folks had been wondering how you were getting on," he said.

"Really? I would have thought that between Ron and your occasional visits and whatever students who have parents among the Aurors or the Ministry as a whole would know I was doing alright."

"Well, hearing about isn't the same as seeing."

"I suppose that's true. So, what's the story with the two foreign wizards? Were they part of some exchange program?" Harry asked.

"No, we're still trying to get that going. These two graduated five years ago as I said, both then went to work at some job or other and then about a year ago we got applications from both of them. Each had strong endorsements from the Headmistress and some of the faculty at Beauxbaton. We did thorough background checks. We wanted to make sure it wasn't something connected to the smuggling operation you took down."

"We took down," Harry corrected.

"Right," Milligan conceded before continuing. "So far they're working out quite well."

"I got the impression they were a little nervous," Harry said.

"Ah, well, yes," Milligan said. "It seems that they've been picking up a lot of information about you from the others. Most of it, of course, dealing with your various exploits and since they never had a chance to see you in person they developed, well, I guess you'd say a slightly distorted opinion about you."

"Distorted?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, mate, like that fact that you're ten feet tall, tough as old ogre skin and can tear a building down to its foundations with a wave of your hand."

Harry looked hard at his brother and best friend who was struggling mightily to keep a smile off his face. Katie had her hand over her mouth and Anthony suddenly found a ceiling beam to be immensely interesting. He then cast a baleful stare at his former chief investigator.

"And I suppose no one has attempted to enlighten them as to the truth?" Harry asked.

"It can be a very difficult thing to change someone's mind once they've taken hold of an idea, you know that, Chief," Milligan said mildly. "Besides, it does have its uses. You'd be surprise how easy it is to get and hold someone's attention when you say something like 'Chief Potter would have something to say if he saw or heard that'."

"Has it occurred to anyone that I haven't been the Chief for almost two years?" he said with some frustration.

"Not as far as any of us are concerned, Harry," Katie said seriously.

It wasn't long after that the party started to break up. Harry took his leave of everyone before he headed for home, reiterating his invitation for anyone to feel free to stop by for a visit. He said he'd see Ron at the Burrow Christmas Eve. In a few moments he was being let into the house by Dinkle, the other two elves having retired for the evening. Ginny was still up, putting the finishing touches to various decorations.

"Harry, how was the party?" she asked.

"It was great. It seemed like pretty much everyone was there, including all the old D.A. members who joined up. Not to mention two new recruits who came from the continent, one from Germany, one from France."

"Really? Wow, that's interesting. Do you think it had something to do with your visits to Beauxbaton?" she asked.

"I don't know, love. They both graduated before I got over there. But I suppose they may have heard from others. Anyway, they apparently have a rather inflated opinion of me. How did Ron put it? They thought I was ten feet tall, was as tough as old ogre skin and could knock down a building just by looking at it."

"Well, that sounds about right", she said with a twinkle in her eye.

Harry just shook his head and left her standing in the hall while he went off to bed.


	23. Chapter 23

Professor Potter, Chapter 23

The Christmas party had been fun and it served nicely to get Harry in the holiday mood. The next morning he awoke to the sounds of laughing, yelling and barking. He dragged himself out of bed, pulled on a robe and walked out into the corridor to see what was going on.

"What in the world is going on out here," he asked.

"Oh, sorry, Harry," Abagail said. "We were just playing and I guess it got out of hand. Snuffles was taking James for a ride, well, a drag is more like it."

Harry could see Snuffles standing in the hallway looking back at him, his tongue hanging out and James hanging onto his collar with both hands, his torso resting on the dog's back. Both of the boy's legs were hanging off to one side, his feet just touching the floor. Harry ran his fingers through his disheveled hair and said,

"I suppose I'll have to get him that saddle pretty soon."

Abagail laughed a bit and then came up to hug Harry and kiss him good morning on the cheek.

"You were having a bit of a lie in weren't you? It must have been quite a party last night," she said with a smile.

"Actually, it was pretty tame. What time is it anyway?" he asked.

"It's already past ten," she replied.

"Really? Guess I better have something to eat and then I have some errands to take care of."

"Left your Christmas shopping until the last minute, did you?" she teased.

"Just a few special things," Harry said, tweaking her hose with a finger tip.

With that Harry made his way to the kitchen where he found Nibs already hard at work on his breakfast. Whether by keen hearing or some other elvish sense, Nibs always knew when Harry was coming and would be busy preparing his meals as Harry came into the kitchen. He made sure he ate well in preparation for the chilly walk along Diagon Alley. As he was finishing up Ginny walked in and made straight for the tea pot. As she refilled her cup she looked at Harry with a smile and said,

"Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?"

"Pretty well, I guess, since I did just get up," he replied.

"I think you were more tired than you thought last night."

"Possibly. I'm going to be gone for a bit after breakfast. I need to take a trip to Diagon Alley," he said.

"Oh, really? I wonder whatever for?" she said, her eyes dancing.

"Oh, I imagine you'll find out in due course," he replied.

Ginny walked over and tilted his head back to give him a kiss on the lips. When she pulled away she said,

"Don't be too long. It looks like we'll have snow before the day is out."

"Then I should be on my way. I'll be back soon," he said standing up. "Thanks for the breakfast, Nibs. It was great, as always."

"Master Harry is most welcome."

As he left the kitchen Harry considered the fact that Nibs and Dinkle had started to wear the same outfit as Kreacher had adopted. Tan trousers, white shirt and a tan vest. It gave the appearance that Harry had a staff of liveried servants, an appearance that he didn't feel very comfortable with. However, since it also marked them as free elves he felt he could accept it.

He took his heavy cloak from the 'broom' closet and stepped outside into the brisk, biting chill. In seconds he was standing at his favorite, out of the way, spot near Gringotts. He didn't need to go to the bank today so his first stop was the jewelry store. He opened the door and felt the welcoming warmth on his face.

"Ah, Professor Potter, so good to see you," the jeweler said, "I'll be with you in a moment."

Harry saw that there were several other customers in the shop who, at the sound of his name, looked up and watched him walk up to the counter. Harry smiled and offered 'good mornings'. He got several smiles and nods in return. After several moments the proprietor came to stand in front of Harry with a small box in his hand.

"Here they are, sir. Just as we discussed," he said as he opened the box.

Inside was a pair of emerald stud earrings. Each stone was roughly half the size of the one on Ginny's engagement ring but with a similar cut and the exact color. He smiled as he looked at them.

"They're beautiful. Thank you," Harry said.

"It was my pleasure, sir."

"We're all settled?" Harry asked.

"Just sign here, sir, and Gringotts will make the transfer."

Harry nodded and then signed the receipt with the offered quill. Then with a handshake and a last nod he took the small box and tucked it inside his robe. Next on his list was Flourish and Blotts. He had ordered a book for Abagail on famous artists, their works and techniques. While in actuality a muggle book, Flourish and Blotts was able to find it for him.

They also discussed their most recent project for him, or the library actually. He left satisfied on both accounts. He also made purchases of a flying robe for Ted and few surprises for other family members. Ginny had done most of the Christmas shopping but Harry still liked to keep his hand in, so to speak.

As usual the plan was for them to arrive at the Burrow around mid afternoon for Christmas Eve. A number of the family would be there for Christmas Eve dinner. Then it would be the rest of the family for all of the Christmas day festivities. The night before Christmas Eve, Harry had something special planned. James had been put to bed and Snuffles occupied most of the rest of the floor in the nursery. Abagail was upstairs working on something special she had said. This was perfect since he wanted to be alone with Ginny when he gave her the present. They were sitting in the living room enjoying the fireplace, listening to the wind blow the snow that had fallen for the last two days into drifts around the house. They both were reading and when Harry decided the time was right he put his book down and said,

"Gin?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to give you your present now."

"Now, Harry?" What about on Christmas day?" she asked.

"Well, there will be so many people around and I'd like it to be just us two," he replied quietly.

"Alright, if that's how you'd like to do it," she said, putting down her book and giving him her complete attention.

He took out the small box and said,

"These are just a small token to say how much I appreciate all that you do for me and for all the joy you've bought into my life. Joy that I never thought I'd have. If this box was meant to show you all the love I feel for you, I'd never had been able to fit it in this room, so this will have to do," he said.

Ginny's eyes were already starting to fill up as he spoke and as he handed her the unwrapped box the tears began to stream down her cheeks. Then she opened it and she gasped a bit and then started to laugh, too. She sniffed a bit as she looked at her husband.

"Oh, Harry. They're just beautiful," she said as she held up her left hand alongside the box. "They match perfectly. However did you manage it," she said then stopped as she looked into those beautiful green eyes. "Oh, yes," she said and laughed a bit more.

She put the box down and removed the earrings she was wearing and then put in the studs. She asked,

"How do they look?"

"Just beautiful. They and you," he replied.

She bounced up off the chair and hurried to look in a mirror that hung over a couch. Harry watched as she turned her head this way and that. She turned to face Harry.

"They are just spectacular, sweetheart. Thank you, so much," she said and then hurried over to him.

She took the book from him and tossed it on a chair and then sat down on his lap. She put her arms around his neck and started kissing him. It was a kiss that lasted for some time. When they finally separated, Ginny snuggled down closer to him and with her head on his shoulder she said,

"That wasn't so much for the gift itself, Harry, as it was for the thought that was behind it. When you do these things it makes me, all of us really, feel so special because of all the caring and effort you put into it. I just wish I had yours ready," she said.

"I have everything that I need and want right here," he said rubbing his cheek against the top of her head.

She murmured a little bit and then sitting upright and looking at her husband said, "That may be so, and I love hearing you say it but I think I do have an idea that you'll appreciate."

With that she slid off his lap, took hold of his hands and tugged him out of his chair. When he was standing up she hooked his arm with hers and led him to their room for a gift giving that lasted well into the early morning hours.

The next morning found the Potter household very hectic indeed. Harry and Ginny were both a little slow getting out of bed and by the time they had, they found that Abagail had gotten James up, dressed and fed, once more endearing herself to her parents. Eventually everyone was fed and dressed, presents pulled together, last minute wrapping done, and carry bags were filled. The three house elves, each with a small spring of holly pinned to his vest, were the first to leave for the Burrow carrying contributions from the pantry. Harry did a last minute check of the basement to make sure no one was still down there and then they were off.

All four members of the Potter family arrived in the snow covered back yard of the Burrow. James was spared wet shoes and pants legs since he was being carried. Harry looked down at their snow covered feet and said with a laugh,

"I didn't think about that."

"I didn't either, sweetheart, but don't worry. I'm sure Mum and Dad have a fire going so we'll dry off soon enough."

As usual, Ginny was the first to the door which she pushed open and shouted inside,

"Mum! Dad! We're here!"

Harry and Abagail looked at each other and smiled. Harry shifted James up higher and carried him and three bags of presents into the house. It likely had never occurred to Harry to just levitate everything into the house. As they entered the warm kitchen they were greeted by Gran and Granddad Weasley. Arthur took James from Harry while Mrs. Weasley smothered Abagail in a big hug. Harry started to walk toward the living room with his bags when a hand shot out to grab his wrist.

"And just where do you think you're going, young fella me lad," asked Mrs. Weasley.

Harry put his bags down on the floor and wrapped his arms around his mum, who enthusiastically returned the embrace.

"Ah, now that's more the thing. How have you been, Harry? We haven't seen you since Halloween."

"I'm fine, Mum. Everything is going very well."

"I'm happy to hear that, my dear. Let's get these bags out of the way and those wet shoes off," she said and then turned to her husband. "Arthur, what are we going to do about this snow?"

"I'll handle it, dear," Arthur said.

As he went outside, the rest made their way into the living room in their stocking feet. The presents were placed under the tree which was already standing and fully decorated. Harry looked at it and then his mum.

"Who helped with the tree, Mum?"

"Charlie and Eleanor were here yesterday. He's at loose ends at the moment. He's finished at the Ministry and he doesn't have a new research project. He does have his book but that isn't taking up all his time. I think he might be getting a little restless."

"Perhaps we'll get a chance to chat. Maybe we can come up with something for him to do," Harry said with a grin.

"Hmm," Molly said, squinting at Harry a bit, "why do I get the feeling that that might not be such a good idea?"

Harry just gave her a look of pure feigned innocence and then started laughing. Molly gave him a swat on the arm and went back into the kitchen. Kreacher and Nibs were there as well. Dingle was returning to Meadow Crest to keep an eye on the house and Snuffles. Unlike Kreacher, the two younger house elves didn't see much to enjoy about the holiday other than Nibs getting to cook for a large group. Dingle was more than happy to be at the house and do some cleaning.

Arthur returned shortly afterward to report he had used a shovel to tamp down the snow to make a more suitable 'landing area'. The next to arrive were Bill, Fleur, Gabrielle and the girls. Cruise ships arriving at a busy vacation port created less fuss. The grandparents gave and received hugs and kisses to and from children and grandchildren. But this was just the preliminaries. Once the Delacour sisters had warmed up, they set their sights on Harry.

Fleur was first and she caught him up in a hug that threatened to squeeze all the air from his lungs. He replied in kind but with less pressure. When she finally relented, Harry looked at her and said,

"Um, Fleur, are you worried about my health?"

"No more than usual, mon ami. Why? Should I be? Are you seeck?" she said looking at him intently.

"No, no," she said quickly. "It just seems that whenever we see each other you hug me like you're afraid you'll never see me again," he finished with a smile.

Fleur cocked an eyebrow at him and said,

"Weeth your 'istory that would not be such an unreasonable thought, no?" she replied, then with her eyes looking hurt she continued. "You object to my showeeng you my affection?"

Harry was about to apologize when a dry voice spoke from that corner of his mind. He said instead,

"And that, Mrs. Weasley, is a very dirty trick."

Fleur's face lit up and she began to laugh and pulled him close again but more gently.

"You grow wiser each day, mon frère," she said as she let him go.

Gabrielle came next and her greeting was only marginally less enthusiastic.

"Joyeaux Noelle, beeg brother," she said. "I 'ope your Chreesmas is as joyeaux as mine."

"And what has you so happy this Christmas, if I may ask?"

"I 'ave a job I like very much and I am making friends 'ere. I am starting to build a life, my life. Eet ees very exciteeng."

"That's brilliant. I'm really glad it's all working out," he said with a smile.

"You should be glad, 'arry. Eet ees your doeeng, after all."

"My doing? George offered you the job and as for the rest, you don't need my help with any of that," he said.

"But you were the one 'oo made me theenk of the possibilities, 'arry."

"Well, it doesn't matter who made it happen, just so long as it did," he said and kissed her on the cheek.

It took a few more minutes but everyone finally took seats in the living room. Harry looked over at Bill and asked,

"So, Bill, are you all set for our visitors?"

"More or less, Harry. I don't see it being too much more than conducting normal classes and being prepared to answer their questions. How are your projects coming along?"

"Really well. They came up with some really great ideas and have been putting a lot of effort into them. And thanks for making your books available to Ms. Collingsworth," Harry said.

"No worries. She's a sharp young witch. If you wouldn't mind, Harry, I'd like to sit in on whatever presentations you have them make."

"I wasn't planning on anything formal, just having them discuss them in class, but you're more than welcome to be there. I'll let you know when I get it arranged."

Charlie and Eleanor were the next to arrive and the last for Christmas Eve. Everyone else would arrive tomorrow with the exception of Ron and Hermione and her parents. The Grangers were back on their feet financially and they wanted to treat their daughter and son-in-law to a Christmas ski trip like they had had in the past. Ron was going to get his first exposure to skiing.

Just as the sun was setting Molly called them to the table. Harry found himself bracketed by Ginny and Fleur. Eleanor was sitting across from him and she smiled. Harry smiled back and asked,

"And what has you all smiles, Ms. MacManus?"

With a shrug she replied,

"Nothing specific, Harry. Although I'm always glad to see you in great shape. That and it looks like I may have a situation when I hang up my flying robes."

"Wow, that's fantastic. What is it?" Harry asked.

"Thanks to the success of the Firebolt and Firebolt II, Nimbus wants to hire me on as a traveling sales rep. They're making serious inroads on the continent. Seems your endorsement carries some weight over there," she said.

"The fact that they go like the very devil has nothing to do with it, does it?" he asked skeptically.

El could only roll her eyes as the arrival of the bowls and platters signaled the end of any conversation, at least as far as Harry was concerned. As he began his methodical assault on his dinner El looked at Ginny and said,

"Gin, do us a favor and pull your hair back off your ears."

Ginny did so happily. When Eleanor saw the emerald studs she said,

"Oh, Gin, they're beautiful. Did Harry give those to you?"

"Yes, he did," she said proudly, laying a fond hand on his forearm as he ate.

"You have such a great eye, Harry. You really do have a knack for finding gifts for people," El said.

Harry swallowed and shrugged, then said,

"Not being able to give presents for so long, I guess I just try hard to find the right thing. I'm just glad that I have the ability to do it now," he said, then his expression clouded.

"What's the matter, Harry?" El asked.

But it was Fleur who spoke next. Guided by whatever gift that gave her insight into what Harry was thinking and feeling, she turned to look at him and said,

"'Arry, eet upsets you to theenk that you can geeve such wonderful geefts because you 'ave so much more than the rest of us?"

He kept his eyes on his food and shrugged.

"Harry," Charlie said with uncharacteristic seriousness. "If Fleur is right, and if it concerns you she always is, forget about that. We all know what you went through to get what you have. We also know what you've done with it. Now I can't speak for everyone here but for me, I wouldn't change places with you for all the galleons in Gringotts. You've got memories that I'd give anything to get rid of if they were mine. Don't ever feel that way about what you've been given. It's poor compensation for the price you've paid."

Harry looked up at his brother across the table, but said nothing. Both Ginny and Fleur leaned in to whisper in his ears. After a few moments he said,

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put a damper on things."

"Harry, dear, you'll think no such things," Molly said. "As we often remind you, this is what family is for. It may be true that you have acquired a significant fortune but just as Charlie said, at a terrible cost. What is more important is that we are all richer for you having come into our lives. Can you appreciate that?"

"I think so, Mum," he replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Good, now why don't we let you finish your supper," Molly finished with a kindly smile.

The conversation was muted for the remainder of the meal but Charlie, Ginny and Abagail did exchange some comments regarding the book project. When they were done, the table was quickly cleared and they retired to the living room. Harry found himself between Ginny on one side and Gabrielle on the other. James was sitting in his mother's lap while Victoire had once more claimed Harry's. The conversation remained light until a sound caught everyone's attention. Harry was snoring. His head was tipped back against the high back of the couch.

Ginny handed James to Molly while Gabrielle gently slid Victoire off of Harry's lap. She was about to protest when her aunt put a finger to her lips and gestured toward Harry with her head. When the little girl saw her uncle sleeping her eyes got wide and she repeated the shushing gesture. Ginny whispered in Harry's ear and the snoring stopped and his eyes half opened but he was not really aware of his surroundings. With a slight tug on his arm she got him on his feet and after mouthing 'I'll be right back' she steered him upstairs to their room.

Those that remained behind looked at each other until El finally said,

"I wish now that I hadn't said anything."

"Nonsense, Eleanor," Fleur said. "You paid Ginny a very nice compliment about 'er earrings. Eef you 'adn't I would 'ave. You cannot blame yourself for 'arry's reactions."

Several similar comments were made but stopped when Ginny came back down. She resumed her seat on the couch and said,

"He's sound asleep. I don't think he ever really woke up."

"Has he seemed tired to you lately, dear?" Molly asked.

"Not that you'd really notice, Mum. But I do get worried. There are so many things going on with school and his different projects. And I know his sleep isn't always as good as it should be."

""ow do you mean, Geeny?" Fleur asked.

"Strange dreams. Not nightmares as such but they take a lot out of him," she said and then proceeded to relate the story of the dream that had him waking up soaked in sweat.

"It was so bad, he needed to take a shower and we had to change the bed linens. I guess tonight it just caught up with him. Maybe what happened at dinner pushed him over the edge."

Eleanor made a little sound of dismay.

"What concerns me now is that the Minister wants him to come in and talk. Who knows what that could lead to," Ginny said.

"Perhaps I can ease your mind there a bit, Ginny," Arthur said. "Kingsley mentioned something about that to me the other day. He wants to get Harry's opinions on some ideas he has about some initiatives between the Ministry and Hogwarts."

"Hmm," Bill began, "considering Harry's experience the last time the Ministry took a hand at Hogwarts, I don't know how kindly he'll take to the idea. You can still notice the scars on the back of his hand whenever he has a bit of a tan."

"It's not like that, Bill. The Minister is just wondering if there was a way that some course material might be added that would have a candidates for Ministerial jobs better prepared. He thought he'd get Harry's input before trying to approach the Head and Board of Governors.

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad," Bill conceded.

Ginny looked a little less concerned as well. The conversation began to drift a bit after this and several smaller discussions developed. Abagail and Gabrielle had their heads close, speaking in low tones. The grandparents were occupied with the grandchildren and Bill and Charlie were talking Quidditch camp. Eleanor had been talking to Ginny but had gone into the kitchen for a cup of tea. Fleur joined her after returning from putting Dominique to bed.

"Are you feeleeng any better, Eleanor?"

"What? Oh, yes, I suppose so. Like I said, I just wish I hadn't gotten the whole thing started."

"You cannot try to, 'ow you say, second guess 'ow 'arry weell react to sometheeng. Eef we deed we would never talk when 'e was around. There ees so much goeeng on behind those green eyes, I 'ave trouble keepeeng up weeth 'im," she said with a fond smile.

"I suppose you're right," El replied and then looked closely at Fleur and said, "Can I ask you something?"

"Oui."

"You and Harry are pretty close, aren't you?"

"Yes, very close, I would like to theenk," Fleur replied, her eyes questioning.

"Have you ever had, I don't know, I'd guess, romantic thoughts about him?" El asked.

Fleur's eyebrows shot up and Eleanor said,

"Oh dear, that didn't sound very good, did it?"

"No, eet deed not," Fleur said, mildly amused, "why do you ask?"

"I don't really know. It's just that I don't understand the attraction. As far as Ginny is concerned I think that was fated from the start. But what about the rest of us? Let's face it, he's not all that much to look at except those eyes. He's got more emotional baggage than any three other people combined and when you consider his capabilities there's more there to be frightened of than drawn to, for any sane person at least. What is it then that draws people to him? To want to form a wall around him and protect him from the world. I mean I feel it, too, but I don't understand why," she said and then fell silent.

Fleur took a sip from the cup of tea she had made for herself. For no real reason she thought she needed to get her mother-in-law a supply of coffee because she much preferred that after dinner. Then she put the cup down and looked directly at Eleanor. She said,

"To answer your first question, no, my feeleengs for 'arry 'ave never been romantic. In many ways I steel see 'im as that skeeny leetle fourth year I first met at the Triweezards Tournoi. We 'ave deescussed theese before, yes? I understand eet no better now than I deed then. Perhaps eef you 'ad seen 'im right after 'is last encounter weeth Voldemort you would understand eet. 'e was so worn out, so tired, we all felt we 'ad to look after 'im. You saw what 'appened tonight. 'e ees a tower of strength weeth no equal een our world ever, I theenk, but a tower that stands on a base as frageel as theen glass. We are the ones that support that tower so eet does not collapse. That ees what I theenk," she said with a final shrug.

El stood in the middle of the kitchen, chewing on her lip a bit. She looked back at Fleur and said quietly,

"Does he ever frighten you?"

Fleur looked thoughtful and said,

"Once, when we were at Beauxbaton and we were deescussing 'is 'abit of talkeeng 'imself down. 'e became so angry, so agitated I could feel 'is emotions wash over me. Eet was al I could do not to run away. But mostly, I am frightened for 'im. What will 'e be called on to do and weell I be able to 'elp 'im do it," she finished quietly.

El nodded a bit and then the two women went back to the living room to spend the rest of the evening.


	24. Chapter 24

Professor Potter, Chapter 24

Molly Weasley was usually the first one up on days like Christmas but not today. As she came out of the hallway she saw Harry standing in the kitchen, leaning against a counter, sipping from his first cuppa of the day.

"Morning, Mum, Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Harry. How are you feeling this morning?" Molly asked.

"A lot better, thanks. I guess I didn't realize how tired I was. That's probably why I reacted the way I did at dinner. Sorry about that," he said as he put his tea down to give her a hug.

"No harm done, my dear. But you may want to see about getting more rest," she said as she squeezed him.

"Yes, Mum," he said with a grunt and then a laugh.

With the exception of the house elves, mother and son had the kitchen to themselves for nearly an hour. The next to join them was Arthur who simply shook hands with Harry, asked him how he was feeling and when Harry nodded in the positive, he just nodded in return. The rest of the overnight guests soon followed. It took Harry a few minutes but he was able to convince them he was well rested and in fine spirits. To prove it he demolished three helpings of everything that was offered for breakfast.

As they ate, others began to arrive. Percy and Audrey were the first, closely followed by Angelina, George and little Fred. The last to arrive were Ted Lupine and his grandmother. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were expected by mid afternoon for dinner. The newcomers took seats at the table, having some tea and nibbling a bit of this and that. As they had the night before, as soon as they were finished eating the table was quickly cleared. Everyone then moved into the living room to exchange gifts. The grandchildren came first and some of the highlights included Ted's flying robes, for James a flying wizard on a broom that was intended to be tethered to the ceiling. With the proper spoken word the wizard would fly in circles at the end of his string. Victoire received a large rag doll nearly as big as she was from her Uncle 'arry.

For the adults the gifts ran from the practical to the fanciful. Harry and Ginny gave Molly and Arthur a two week vacation cruise on the Mediterranean. When Arthur suggested he wasn't sure he'd be able to get away for the full two weeks, Harry said that Percy had already cleared it with the Minister. Arthur looked at his wife and said,

"We are surrounded by conspirators, my dear."

This got a laugh from everyone. Ginny, of course, made sure that everyone got a look at her new earrings. Audrey got Harry a book entitled 'Greatest Leaders of the Magical World'. He looked at her quizzically after he had unwrapped it and read the title. She just smiled back at him. Gabrielle presented Harry with a beautifully enameled brass place holder for his reading. In return, he gave her a gold chain with a charm in the shape of a mortar and pestle. Abagail did hers last by request. She had been ecstatic with the art book from Harry. For the ladies, she gave them a porcelain pendant upon each of which she had hand painted a different flower in bloom. For the men she provided a pin for their robes that had some aspect of their careers at Hogwarts painted on it. All had their house emblem but Charlie and Bill had Quidditch added, Percy his head boy badge and Ron's had a Wizard Chess king on his. When she came to Harry she said,

"Harry, I couldn't find a pin big enough to fit everything that should go on yours so I did something different for you." At this point Arthur took out a large flat package from behind one of the couches and propped it on a chair.

"I've been working on this on and off for over a year now, not really knowing where it was going, but over the summer I got an inspiration to finally finish it. Happy Christmas, Harry, I hope you like it."

Harry stepped up to the chair, blocking everyone's view of whatever the package was. They could see Harry undo the ribbon and pull the paper away. They heard him suck in a breath and saw his hands drop to hang at his sides. He made no other sound or movement. They could see Abagail standing to the side looking up at him anxiously. Ginny finally broke the silence.

"For goodness sake, Harry. Step aside so we can see it, too."

He did so, slowly and quietly so that he stood on the opposite side of the chair from Abagail. The rest of the family's reaction was similar to Harry's, a collective intake of breath. Molly Weasley muttered 'my word' while Gabrielle said more distinctly 'mon Dieu'. What they saw was a full figure portrait of Harry, dressed in his full professorial regalia of hat and robe with the Hogwarts crest. His hands were clasped at his waist, his ironwood wand in his right hand. There was no one single feature that drew the eye. It was not the set of the shoulders or the facial expression or even the bright green eyes behind the large round glasses. In other words, there was no 'mona lisa smile'.

However, taken in total, which the roughly half scale allowed, it portrayed an unmistakable image of power and authority, one might even suggest majesty. Ginny stood up and came to stand beside Abagail, where she put an arm around the girl's shoulders.

"Abagail, it's magnificent. I'd almost expect him to walk off the canvas. It's just wonderful, isn't it, Harry? Harry?"

Ginny looked over and saw Harry staring at the portrait transfixed. She reached across and touched his arm.

"Sweetheart? I said isn't it wonderful?"

"What? Oh, yes. It's absolutely amazing. It had to have been done from memory. I know I never posed for it," he said as if from a distance.

"I've done lots of sketches of you, Harry. Different times and places. I used them for references to get the details right but this," she said and nodded toward the portrait, "came from in here," she tapped her head.

Harry looked over at her and said,

"This is how I look to you?"

"Pretty much, Harry. Of course when you're sitting in the library in a cardigan and slippers reading a book it's not quite the same, but not by much. Otherwise, this is you," she said quietly.

Harry turned and looked at the others, most of whom gave him some sort of gesture in the affirmative. He noticed Fleur simply returning his gaze with one steady and penetrating. He said to no one in particular,

"I had no idea. I never imagined."

"One of your more admirable traits, son," Arthur said.

"Are you upset, Harry?" Abagail said anxiously.

Harry gestured her closer and then put his arms around her and pulled her close.

"No, little one, I'm not upset, just a little overwhelmed. It seems each time, your talent takes a leap forward. It really is magnificent. I just don't where I would hang such a portrait."

"You let me worry about that, Harry," Ginny said.

He just smiled and nodded. Then he took a deep breath and said,

"I don't know about anyone else but I could do with a second cuppa."

As if a spell had been broken the atmosphere in the room lightened and several of the others voiced a similar desire. Once Nibs brought out the tray and those so desiring served themselves, several small conversations began. Angelina thought the hand painted pendants might be marketable. George was telling anyone who was listening how happy he was with Gabrielle.

"You'd never guess, what with how serious she is in the lab, but there's a bit of a twisted sense of humor under all that silver hair."

"George," Gabrielle began, sounding affronted, "whatever do you mean?"

"You all know Fred and I played around with things like the ton tongue toffees. Well, our young miss here has come up with a hard candy formula that turns the person's skin the color of the candy," he said gleefully.

"I was seemply respondeeng to your request to develop new products. I just remembered an eencident at Beauxbaton and thought eet might be 'elpful," she replied.

"So if anyone at Hogwarts starts turning colors I'll know who to thank," Harry said quietly form his place on the couch, giving Gabrielle a small smile, which she returned with rosy cheeks.

Since dinner would be a late afternoon affair there wasn't to be any lunch, just a variety of snacks. Ron's old chess board was pulled out and Eleanor and Audrey were engaged in a tight battle. Harry moved about the kitchen watching the game or making snippets of conversation. After a while, Fleur drifted over to stand near him.

"Come to check on me, big sister?" Harry asked.

"You would theenk I would not?"

"I would be very disappointed if you didn't," he said with his half smile.

Fleur stood next to him, hooking his arm with hers, drawing a circle of privacy about them.

"So, Fleur, tell me what do you see when you look at me? That?" he said gesturing toward the living room and his portrait.

"No, 'arry. I am sorry to say I do not."

"Do you mind if I ask what you do see?" Harry asked.

"You may ask, 'arry, but you might not like the answer," she said, looking over at him, her bright blue eyes fixing on his green.

"That's alright, I'm still asking."

"Alright, 'arry. When I look at you, what I see ees the same boy who looked confused and frightened because 'is name just came out of the Goblet of Fire. Een fact, I just saw him a leetle while ago een the leeveeng room, standeeng by his portrait."

Harry laughed a bit and nodded.

"You see pretty clearly then because that's just how I was feeling. Why is that, Fleur? How can it be that I can face down dark wizards and other assorted nasty things, but something like that scares me so much?" he asked, his tone more curious than anxious.

"I can not be certain, 'arry, but perhaps eet ees that when confronteeng darkness you 'ave no doubts een your skeels and you are confident you weell overcome eet. But weeth the other you feel you cannot leeve up to everyones expectations. Even though you always 'ave."

Harry looked at her for a few moments and then said,

"Promise me something, Fleur?"

"Assurement, mon frere."

"Don't stop seeing me the way you do. I think I need at least one person who knows that I can still get scared", he said with a slight smile.

"I promeese," she said and then leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Now come back to the others and let them know you are feeleeng better."

"Yes, ma'am."

Harry's improved mood came a very good time. Around one o'clock someone knocked on the kitchen door. It was an uncertain knock. Abagail bolted out of her chair and ran to open the door. She exchanged words with whoever it was and then reached out and bodily pulled Angus MacAskill into the kitchen. It was apparent the young man was having second thoughts but Abagail took hold of his hand in both of hers and led him to the edge of the living room.

"Everyone, this is Angus. We graduated together last year and he's working on a project for Harry," Abagail said.

Molly Weasley, to her everlasting credit read the situation immediately and perfectly. She stood up and approached the nervous young man calmly and said in a mild voice,

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Angus. Could I offer you something to eat or drink?"

After a moment's hesitation he nodded and said,

"Tea, please, mahm," in heavy burr.

"Abagail, let's bring him into the kitchen so he can fix it the way he likes," Molly said, ignoring the fact that a fully laden tea tray was right there in the living room.

The others, beyond a few glances, studiously avoided the unfolding scene in the kitchen. They could hear Molly's voice make a comment or two, followed by a one or two word response. Harry, in the best tradition of fathers everywhere did manage to watch with sidelong glances. He saw Angus sip at his tea, his attention directed toward El and Audrey and their game. El was facing him and she saw that he was watching.

"Do you play, Angus?" she asked.

"Aye," he replied.

"Well, I'm about three moves from losing so you can have a go if you'd like."

He nodded and held up two fingers.

"What? Two moves? You can see that from there?" she asked.

He again nodded. El looked across at Audrey with a smirk and said,

"My dear, I think you are in for some trouble."

El got up from the table and gestured for Angus to take her place. He walked around the table, all signs of nervousness gone. He set his tea down and examined the board closely, his eyes flicking from piece to piece. Audrey was watching him and she asked,

"Can you save her game?"

"Nay, tae far goon," he said quietly.

"Alright, let's start over," and they reset the board.

For anyone who knew chess, wizards or muggle, what followed was astounding. No sooner would Audrey make a move then Angus would counter. Harry had heard of the concept of speed chess, but this was something different. It was as if Angus had already played the game in his head, including likely variations, and he was playing from memory. He and Audrey played three games in fairly rapid succession. It would have been much shorter but the deeper Audrey got into trouble the longer it took her to make the next move. It also didn't help that the decrepit condition of the old pieces slowed the play down a touch. After laying down her king to concede the third game she looked across at Angus and said,

"That was amazing. Do you play often?"

"Noo' n' agin."

"You're that good playing just now and again? My goodness," she said and then turned to Harry who had walked over about halfway through the second game. "He needs to play Ron."

"I imagine he'll get the opportunity," Harry said, giving Abagail a quick smile which she returned shyly.

Later that night when they had returned home, Harry and Ginny were laying in bed, cuddled up. Ginny looked closely at Harry's face, his eyes slightly squinting in the pale moonlight as he stared up at the ceiling. She said,

"Abagail's painting bothers you."

"It's the kind of thing you'd expect your heirs to hang on a wall in remembrance. Not to have done so early in your life," he replied.

"It came from the heart, Harry."

"I know. That's what makes it so difficult. I can't just stick it in the attic. It would be easier that way. I'm just glad you volunteered to find a place for it," he said, his voice growing distant.

"That's right, sweetheart. Don't give it another thought. Just go to sleep."

His even breathing told her he was already there.

Two days after Christmas, Harry was walking along Diagon Alley. He had received a personal message via owl the day before from the Minister asking if he could meet in his office, at ten in the morning. Harry decided to leave early and take a side trip to Flourish and Blotts to check on his latest acquisition. A scholarly wizard had passed away recently and the book store had arranged to buy his entire library on Harry's behalf. When he had seen the list of titles he had gotten very excited. Some of the books were extremely rare and he knew of them only as references in others that he had read. All told his own library would grow to four times its present size and at a very reasonable cost. Apparently the wizard's heirs didn't share his pursuits and just wanted to 'clean house' as they put it.

As he was making his way from Gringotts he returned the acknowledgement of a pair of patrollers on duty. When they saw him approaching they touched two fingers to their temples in an informal salute that Harry returned with a nod. As he neared the book store he saw a familiar figure, Anton DuBonais walking with, Harry assumed, his mother.

"Good morning, Mr. DuBonais," he said as they got closer. "How are you enjoying your holiday?"

"Mo'nin', Professah Pottah. I'm likin' it just fine, 'long as I'm indoahs. If'n I'm outside it could be a whole lot bettah, I'm thinkin'.

"I'm sure I can appreciate that," Harry said with a laugh.

"Professah, I'd like fo' yo' ta meet my Mama. Mama, this heah is Professah Pottah, one o' my teachers."

"Enchante', Professah. It's pleased I am ta make yo' acquaintance, suh."

The woman that Harry shook hands with was remarkably unremarkable. She was barely taller than her son. She wore a heavy dark brown cloak with a cowled hood lined in tan fur. Her face was rather plain and only marginally attractive. There was nothing about her voice or bearing that suggested anything out of the ordinary. But there were her eyes. Large and dark brown in color, they told Harry immediately that this woman saw more than she spoke of and he was sure she had more ability than just being able to make medicines.

"I'd like ta thank yo' fo' takin' the time ta make my Anton feel mo' at home at de school."

"It's been my pleasure, ma'am. I've enjoyed our talks together and he's told me something about you and how you came to be here. I'm confident he's going to do very well for himself."

"That's ver' kind o' yo' ta say so," Mrs. DuBonais replied.

"If I may be so bold to suggest, ma'am, there are people at Hogwarts that would be very interested in talking to you about your knowledge of medicines and potions. Would you consider visiting the school to meet with them?" Harry asked.

"Fo' sho' I don't know, Professah. I've nevah done somet'ing like dat."

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you would consider it. We have some very interesting work going on researching new plants for medicinal uses and it would be very timely to discover what your experience might have to offer us," Harry said.

Anton's mother considered what Harry said, never breaking eye contact.

"It is true dat I ain't done much since we moved heah. I'll give it a good t'inking and Anton can tell ya what I decide we he gets back ta school."

"Thank you, Mrs. DuBonais. I know we'd all appreciate whatever you chose to share with us. And I won't keep you any longer. I can see Anton is reaching his limit with the cold."

The two adults looked at the boy and could see he was shivering. His mother wrapped an arm around his shoulders fondly and pulled him close.

"A boy from de bayou was not meant for such weathah as dis, but a little discomfort is as good as any classroom, yes, Professah?" she said.

"Yes, ma'am, I believe you're right. Enjoy the rest of your day and I'll see you at school, Anton."

"Yes, suh."

As Harry began to turn the boy's mother said,

"One last t'ing, Professah. DuBonais was Anton's daddy's name. Since I remarried, it's really Mrs. Henderson, but who would come ta a Mrs. Henderson fo' a cure fo' what ails 'em," she said with a small smile.

"Yes, ma'am. Good day, Mrs. Henderson," Harry replied, grinning.

With that he continued his walk to the book store. He didn't hear the comments by Anton's mother.

"Just like I tol' yo', Mama."

"Yes, yo' did, son. Pay attention ta dat one. He has much ta teach yo'."

After finishing his business at the book store, Harry Disapparated to the Atrium of the Ministry. His trip to the Minister's office netted only a handful of greetings as the building was nearly empty for the holidays. There was no secretary at the desk in the Minister's waiting room so he went and knocked on the office door.

"Yes?"

"Harry Potter here, sir."

"Harry," came the enthusiastic, if muted, reply from the other side of the door. "Right on time, do come in."

Harry swung open the door and stepped in to see the Minister rising from behind his desk. He wasn't wearing his heavy robes of office, just a cardigan over a plain shirt. He came around the desk to shake hands and then gestured for Harry to take a chair while he settled into the other.

"Thank you for coming in, Harry. I know how much you need this break after a full semester at Hogwarts. And it's Hogwarts that I want to talk to you about."

"Yes, sir?" Harry said, sitting up a bit straighter.

"First of all, this is nothing like what happened with my predecessor and that Umbridge woman," the Minister said with a bit of a grimace. "What I'm interested in is discussing ways that those students who come to the Ministry after graduation are more prepared for what we do here."

Harry had relaxed a bit with the first comment the Minister made but the second got his attention.

"You're finding their magical education deficient, sir?" Harry asked.

"Not at all, Harry. I've never met a Hogwarts graduate who wasn't a thoroughly capable witch or wizard. What I'm talking about is their abilities in other areas that we require. We spend a great deal of time and effort teaching them on the job, as it were, how to write reports, negotiate agreements, to talk to groups of people. I was wondering if there was some way to start that process at Hogwarts. I believe someone once said that the Ministry is only as good as the students that come out of Hogwarts. We got lucky with you and Hermione Weasley but we need to stop trusting to luck.

"Yes, sir. I believe it was Director Grimsson who said it when we were discussing the idea of internships. I would have thought the intern program would have helped there," Harry replied.

"Too few, Harry. We only take three or four a year and we are turning over a score or more of full time personnel every year."

"I hadn't realized it was that large a number, sir."

"With all the upheaval we've had over the past few years, we've had a lot of people come and go," the Minister said.

"If I may, sir, how have things been going in that respect? The problems with the public and so on," Harry asked.

"Slowly, but steadily improving, Harry. Without any issues since the abduction attempt combined with the fine work your patrollers have been doing, we've been making progress."

"Aren't they your patrollers, sir? They do work for you, after all," Harry replied.

"That is true, Harry, but you do get to claim ownership of the idea and its implementation so they very much are yours. But back to the matter at hand. Am I just engaging in wishful thinking here?"

"I'd like to say 'no', but I'm not really sure, sir. The things you're talking about are the kinds of things you'd find taught at a muggle university. I don't know that Hogwarts would know where to begin."

The Minister leaned back in his chair, looking deflated. Harry felt sorry for his former boss. He was trying hard to shape the Ministry into an efficient and effective organization but the wizarding world wasn't quite up to the task.

"No offense, sir, but this is something you might have to do yourself."

"How do you mean, Harry?" the Minister asked leaning forward.

"You may need to come up with a training program that you run within the Ministry."

The Minister sat back in his chair rubbing his chin. He squinted at Harry and said,

"You may have something there, Harry. Let's talk about that for a bit."

The Minister took a sheaf of parchment sheets off of his desk and to Harry's surprise pulled a muggle pencil from his shirt pocket and began to write. For the next two hours they discussed the topics needed by the Ministry and how they might be taught and by whom. Everyone needed to be able to write a clean, intelligible report but not everyone would be a negotiator. There was even some discussion about training in how to fill out an expense report correctly, apparently a pet peeve of the Minister. When they were finally through the Minister set down his papers and said,

"Well, Harry, it's not what I was looking for but it might be just what we need."

"I hope so, sir. I'll mention this up at school and see if anyone else has any ideas," Harry offered.

"Thank you, Harry. I'll take all the help that's offered."

Harry left a few minutes later and headed for home. He ate lunch and was sitting in the library when Kreacher stepped into the room and said,

"Ron and Hermione Weasley are here to visit Master Harry and Mistress Ginny."

"That's great, Kreacher, thanks. I'll be right there."

Harry went into the library and found Ron and Hermione standing and talking to Ginny. Something about Ron wasn't right. Harry walked up and offered his hand to Ron and said,

"Hey, mate, how was the trip?"

Ron took his hand and shook it but winced slightly as he did. Harry let go and said,

"What's wrong, Ron?"

"Um, Ginny, why don't we leave the boys alone," Hermione said quickly. "I haven't seen James in a while.

"Oh, sure, come on, he's with Abagail."

Once they were alone Harry looked at Ron with a raised eyebrow.

"So what happened?"

"Do you remember what I used to say about this skiing business, when Hermione used to go on her trips when we were at school?"

"Yeah, mate, you said you thought anyone who would slide down a snow covered mountain on two boards had to be a little crazy," Harry replied.

"Right, well, having given it a try I've changed my mind."

"Really?" Harry asked, sounding rather surprised.

"Yeah, now I know they are bloody well insane."

Harry laughed out loud and made a gesture for Ron to sit down. It took him a bit of time but he managed to fold himself into a cushioned chair. He sighed with relief as he settled into the cushions.

"So tell me what happened," Harry said. "Couldn't get the hang of it?"

"Actually, I wasn't doing too bad. I started out on the beginners' slope and by the end of the day I was able to turn and stop. So the next day Hermione took me on a trail, not too steep, easy turns. It was kind of fun. The trail cut across some really steep, um, runs I think they call them, but I stayed away from those as best I could. But I was going past one and some guy knocked into me from behind. Next thing I know I'm sliding down one of those bloody cliffs. I managed to stay on my feet for maybe twenty feet and then I went down. Harry, I must have slid and tumbled for close to a thousand feet. I lost my skies, poles, hat, a glove and my goggles.

"When I finally stopped I was covered in snow, just laying there. I heard some people come up and they were saying all kinds of things in different languages but I figure it was all something like 'he must be dead'. I guess what they say about wizards being tougher than muggles must be true. By the time Hermione got to me, which wasn't that long by the way. She really must be good on those things. Anyway, by that time I was starting to get up and brushing myself off. Some guy in a red outfit came by on one of those snowmobil things and gave me a ride to the lodge. And that was it for me and skiing."

"What did you do for the rest of the trip?" Harry asked.

"The first day I spent in bed. When I first woke up I could barely move I was so stiff. Hermione stayed with me. I was able to get up the next day. I convinced Hermione to go skiing with her parents. I wandered around the lodge a little, slowly. I found a game room with a chess board. Managed to find a couple of good players. That reminds me. Have you ever heard of something called a grandmaster in muggle chess?"

"Yeah, it's someone at the highest level of ability, Ron. Why?"

"One guy that was really good asked me if I was one. Took me almost three hours to beat him."

"Well, first of all let me say I'm sorry that the trip didn't work out so well for you. I hope you don't have any trouble at work."

"It won't be too bad, mate. Some of the oldtimers will have a go at me but that's just part of the fun," he said with a little grin.

"Good, oh, and the other thing is you may actually have some competition around here for once."

"Who?"

"Angus MacAskill, that quiet Scots kid. He played Audrey three games on Christmas day and beat her with little trouble," Harry said, watching Ron's face.

"Good, it's about time I had a real challenge. Get's dead boring playing you lot," he said with a straight face.

Harry had half a mind to slap Ron on the back but he didn't want to hear his best friend scream. He settled instead for suggesting they go look for the girls and took some solace from the fact he had to give Ron a hand up out of the chair.

The next morning Harry had another visitor. Kreacher answered a rather timid knock at the front door. He found Harry in James' room playing some sort of game involving the boy emptying his toy chest piece by piece and bringing each one to Harry, whose lap was nearly overflowing.

"Master Harry, a Ms. Collingsworth is here to see Master Harry."

"Oh, yes. She's here to look at a few books from my library. Please show her there and I'll be along in a few minutes."

"Yes, Master Harry," Kreacher replied and left the room.

"Well, son of mine," Harry said to James, "let's go meet Ms. Collingsworth. We can finish this later."

"'k, da'" James replied.

Harry swept up James and carried him out of the nursery and down to the library. The seventh year witch was standing near the chess table, looking around the room.

"Good morning, Ms. Collingsworth," Harry began, "it's nice to see you. I hope your holiday is going well."

"Good morning, Professor. Yes, it's been fine, sir, thank you. And thank you for allowing me access to your library. And if I can say sir, your house is simply beautiful," the young witch replied.

"Thank you. Oh, and this is my son, James. James, this is Ms. Collingsworth, one of my students."

"'lo."

The girl stepped closer and smiled at James. The little boy smiled back.

"Oh, he's such a cute little fellow."

"Yes, he is. He get's that from his mother," Harry replied.

The girl looked at him but chose not to say anything. Harry said,

"So, let's see what we can do for you. Do you have a list of those books?"

"Yes, sir, right here," she said, reaching into a bag she was carrying.

Harry took the slip of parchment and read the titles. He put James down, who immediately stepped over to the girl and tugged on her coat. She looked down at him and he said,

"Up?"

"James, don't be a nuisance," Harry said.

"Oh, no, sir, it's alright. I don't mind at all," she said as she bent and picked James up.

The look he gave her was very serious. She had no doubt he took after his father every bit as much as he may have his mother. She cuddled him a bit and then watched as Harry went to his shelves to find the volumes of interest. Ms. Collingsworth looked around at all the empty shelf space.

"The designers must have thought you would be buying lots of books."

"Yes, my wife and Abagail Westwood know me very well. They did most of the designing. In fact, I'm in the process of acquiring a collection from an estate that's triple what I have here. I'm hoping it arrives soon. Ah, here we go," he said as he pulled two volumes down and put them on an empty shelf, " and another. Hmm, the last one is up there," he said gesturing with his head. He grabbed the ladder and pulled it closer.

The young witch watched as Harry climbed up the ladder and plucked the book from its spot on the shelf. When he came back down she said,

"Um, pardon me for asking, sir, but wouldn't it have been easier to levitate it down?"

"Old habits, Ms. Collingsworth," Harry replied with a laugh. "Part of growing up a muggle, I guess. I used to do a lot of fetch and carry for my Aunt and Uncle. I guess I never got comfortable with the idea of magic as a convenience," he finished with a shrug. "Let's see, the desk over there looks reasonably clean. I'll leave the books here on the shelf so you can use one at a time."

He walked over to the desk and took a pen and started to mark the list he was holding.

"Based on what I recall, I'll mark down where it might be helpful for you to start in each volume."

"Thank you, sir. That would help tremendously."

"Alright, James and I will leave you to it. If you need anything, just say 'Kreacher, please' and he'll respond."

"Yes, sir and thank you again, sir."

"You're welcome. Come along, my boy, the young lady has work to do."

"'es, da'" James replied but he wasn't too thrilled about it.

When lunchtime arrived, Ms. Collingsworth was interrupted by Nibs who placed a small try on the desk.

"Lunch for the young lady," he said.

"Oh, but no, that's not necessary," she said in a rush.

Nibs gave her a serious look and replied,

"Guests do not go hungry at Meadow Crest," and he turned and left the room.

Around mid afternoon, Ginny and Abagail returned from Diagon Alley. They found Harry reading in the living room. James was napping.

"Hello, my dear ladies," he said with a smile. "How was your trip?"

"Good, Harry. We had a lot of fun. Why are you in here?"

"My student is using the library, remember?"

"Oh, that's right, I forgot."

"I should go and say 'hello'," Abagail said and left the room.

Ginny dropped into a chair next to Harry's and said.

"Abagail and I talked while we were shopping. We decided that we'd hang your portrait above the door in your office."

"At Hogwarts?"

"No, silly. Here at the house. I'm not surprised by your confusion. I don't think you've ever used it. This way you won't have to see it very often but if I want to show it off I can," she said with a little smile.

"How does she feel about it?"

"She understands completely. She said she wasn't really sure what compelled her to paint it in the first place. She put it down to some sort of inspiration, she said. She told me the first time she looked at the whole thing when it was done she got a little scared."

"Her own painting scared her? How is that possible?" he asked.

"Apparently, she was concentrating on the details so much she didn't realize how the overall effect was turning out."

"Alright, if that's what you've agreed to I'll go along with it," he said with a sigh. "But maybe you'll consider doing me a favor."

"Of course, sweetheart, what's that?"

"Face it towards the wall."


	25. Chapter 25

Professor Potter, Chapter 25

"Thank you, everyone, for being here," Professor McGonagall began. "Hopefuly we can keep this meeting relatively brief. I know we need to get ready for the students returning from break this evening. But we must also be ready for our guests who will be arriving tomorrow evening."

The faculty and staff of Hogwarts were gathered in the Transfiguration classroom for a meeting to finalize preparations for the arrival of the teachers selected to staff the new school of magic to be established on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The near demise of Durmstrang Institute had prompted the move by the combined magical communities of most of Eastern Europe.

"As you know the problems at Durmstrang have compelled our colleagues in Eastern Europe to start a new school. At the suggestion of Professor Potter we have extended an invitation to their prospective faculty to spend a month here to become familiar with how we do things at Hogwarts. This is not to suggest we are training them to do things our way, whatever those might be. We will simply allow them to observe our techniques, participate as they, and we, see fit and give them the opportunity to adopt whatever practices they deem suitable for what they are attempting. They will be making a similar visit to Beauxbaton when they have concluded their visit here. Are there any questions?"

There were a few, mostly about practical matters of language, accomodations and the like. One question got everyone's attention. Professor Flitwick asked what was really going on at Durmstrang.

"Professor Potter, could you share anything with us?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Certainly," Harry replied. "As best as has been determined, after the death of Igor Karkorov a conflict of sorts emerged between factions of the faculty. The side that won wanted to more heavily emphasize the dark arts. This drove a majority of students from the school. Beauxbaton picked up a number of them and this was the first clue that something was wrong. More recently the situation has gone from bad to worse. Indications were that the education process had broken down to the point where students were attached to individual instructors for all of their lessons."

This caused a few murmurs. Harry continued,

"As it stands now there is little more there than the Headmaster and staff and a few die hard pupils."

"It seems so hard to believe something like that could happen so quickly," someone said.

"The big unknown in all of this is the Headmaster. No one seems to know who he is or where he came from. That information would likely explain a great deal."

"Harry, thank you for that, my boy. It would seem your connections with the Ministry are still solid," Professor Flitwick said with a sly smile.

Harry simply smiled in return. The meeting carried on for a short while more and was brought to a close with the Headmistress saying,

"The important thing to remember about this is that they want to see how we do things. So just do what we always do, be available to answer their questions or offer advice and let them determine what it is they take away from their time here."

That night at dinner, Professor McGonagall made the announcement to the students that the school would be hosting the group of teachers and made similar requests that they conduct themselves in a manner that gave a true impression of what life at Hogwarts was really like, if perhaps with a bit more restraint. This got a few laughs from both students and faculty. The following day Harry started out with his sixth year Applied Magic class of Gryffindors and Slytherins. A young wizard in Slytherin colors raised his hand.

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"Sir, can you tell us anything about what is going on regarding this visit? Why is someone starting a new school?"

"Well, to put it briefly, someone gained control of Durmstrang and pushed it far into the study of the dark arts. That drove off most of the students. The magical communities in that region decided they needed an alternative and this group are the teachers who will be the faculty."

"So this is like what they tried to do here while you were hunting the horcruxes?" the boy asked.

"In a manner of speaking, althought pushed to the extreme," Harry replied.

"Yes, sir."

Another student asked,

"What will happen to Durmstrang, sir?"

Harry gave a bit of a shrug and said,

"As it stands now it's likely to just be an old castle housing a handful of dark arts practioners. I suppose that could change if the people in charge are replaced but I don't think that's too probable at this point."

He answered similar questions in his other classes that day. The plan for the evening was for a small contingent of faculty to meet the visitors at the front door. Viktor Krum was going to be their escort until fomal introductions were taken care of and then he had to return for a match the following day. Harry was to be a member of the welcoming group.

As they stood in the entry hall waiting, Harry noticed Stan Shunpike stationed next to the door. He was looking 'well turned out' Harry thought the expression would be. Since the lotion Professor Slughorn had given him had done such a fine job clearing up his face, he had begun to take greater care in his appearance. This line of thinking was interupted by the pounding of the knocker on the door.

With a nod from Professor McGonagall, Stan swung the door open and bowed the group inside. Led by Viktor, the eleven witches and wizards filed into the hall. Viktor caught Harry's eye and gave him a brief smile which Harry returned. Once everyone was inside and the door shut, Professor McGonagall stepped forward and said,

"I'm Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts. I would like to welcome you all and say how pleased we are to be hosting you. I will keep this brief because I know you have had a long journey. With me are the assistant Head, Professor Sprout, two of our most senior facutly members, Professor Flitwick and Professor Babbling, and Professor Potter, who was insturmental in making this all possible."

At the sound of Harry's name, all the visitors focused on him. He returned their stares with a mild expression.

"If you would follow me, we have a room set aside with refreshments and we can do our introductions there," she said, gesturing for them to follow.

Harry could see that several of the visitors were murmuring to others. He wondered if translation was going to be an issue. The classroom that had been set aside had been supplied with pitchers of water, juice and several teapots. The desks had been moved and chairs were arranged. As refreshments were poured, Harry paid close attention to each of the visitors in turn. Excluding Viktor there were seven wizards and four witches. With the exception of one witch who looked to be in her sixties, they were all somewhere in their late forties to early fifties. Harry was easily the youngest in the room. None of his senses gave him any indication of trouble. His thoughts were interupted by Professor McGonagall.

"Harry, you indicated that you could accommodate three of our guests. These are they," she said, indicating a wizard and two witches, including the older one, whom the Head introduced first. "May I present Professor Georgieva Dragonova, who will teach Potions. Next is Professor Krasimir Ivanov, who will teach Herbology and his wife Professor Mira Ivanova, Transfiguration."

"I'm very pleased to meet you all," Harry replied.

Professor Dragonova spoke first.

"Ve are very pleased to make you acqvaintance, Professor Potter. Your efforts in this matter are much appreciated. It is hoped that you vill be able to find the time to pay us a visit ven it is convenient."

"I would like that very much."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, sir," Professor Ivanov offered.

"A great privilege, Professor," his wife said.

"The pleasure is mine," Harry responded. "After dinner I'll escort you by way of the floo network and get you settled at the house," Harry looked around, suddenly realizing what had been tugging at his mind, "um, I don't see any luggage."

"Most of the luggage vas sent ahead and arrived yesterday via your Express. Our luggage vas delivered directly to your house, ve hope," Professor Ivanov said with a small grin.

"That's great. That will make the trip home very easy then."

"I suppose I should have mentioned that to you earlier, Harry. I'm afraid it slipped my mind," Professor McGonagall said.

"No worries, Professor. I'm sure Ginny has matters well in hand," Harry replied.

Other introductions were offered and eventually all the arrangements were settled and the Headmistress suggested they move to the Great Hall for dinner. Extra tables were added to the main faculty table to provide space. As the students filed in, Harry noted that they weren't making quite as much noise as usual, but only by a little. There were many curious glances toward the dais, however. When they were all settled Professor McGonagall moved to the podium and waited for quiet.

"As you are aware from last evenings announcement, we have guests who will be spending the next month with us. They are safely arrived and with us now," she said gesturing to the dozen visitors at the tables. "Mr. Krum will be leaving directly after dinner but those who remain look forward to observing and learning about how we approach magical education. They are also looking forward to your enthusiastic participation. I know you will make them welcome in the days to come. Enjoy your dinner."

There was a respectable amount of applause and the guest academics smiled, nodded and a few even waved to the students. As the food appeared on the table Harry could see that the kitchen staff were aware of events as several dishes Harry didn't recognize materialized. The appreciative murmurs he overheared comfirmed someone had done their homework.

As the meal was drawing to a close, Professor McGonagall suggested they all wait for the crush of students to dissipate. When they were dismissed the students made their exit through the rear as usual but one seventh year appeared at the side door and began to gesture to attract Harry's attention. He stood up and said,

"If you'll excuse me a minute, it looks like someone needs my help. I'll be right back."

As he made his way down off the dais, Professor Dragonova said to the Headmistress,

"Considering his reputation, your Professor Potter seems to be a very unassuming young fellow."

Professor McGonagall nodded a bit and smiled, saying,

"It's one of the things we love about him most. But don't be misled. He sees and understands far more than he reveals. He has power he has barely begun to explore and getting on the wrong side of that young man would likely be the biggest, and quite possibly the last, mistake someone would ever make."

They watched him as he leaned close to the young wizard that had wanted to talk to him. The boy's side of the conversation was quite animated, Harry's more calm and measured. It finished with the young wizard smiling and nodding his head and Harry sending him on his way with a clap on the shoulder. He walked back up to the dais.

"My apologeies. One my seventh years. He was offered an interesting situation over the holiday break but he needed a recommendation from one of his professors," Harry said with a smile. "Oh, and before we go, Professor McGonagall, I forgot to mention that Ginny and I thought it would be nice to host a reception for our guests at the house Sunday afternoon to include our faculty. We were thinking starting at two o'clock."

"That would be wonderful, Harry. I'll make sure everyone knows. Thank you."

"No worries, Professor. Alright, shall we? Sir, ma'ams?" Harry said, indicating his house guests. "We have a short walk into Hogsmeade so we can use the floo network. Once you're familiar with Meadow Crest you'll be free to use the network or Disapparate, whichever you prefer."

"Lead on, Professor. Ve vill be right behind you."

"Harry," Viktor called to him, "before you go," he said and stepped toward Harry and caught him up in a bear hug, then released him. "Thank you for all of this. You showed us much during the Tournament, but it was only the beginning."

"Thank you, Viktor. I'm happy to do it," Harry said quietly before turning and gesturing for the others to follow him. Harry led the three outside and down the path towards the gates. As they passed by some of the snow sculptures Professor Ivanova asked,

"Excuse me, Professor Potter, the sculptures. Is it some project of your students?"

"No, ma'am. The artist is a phantom. We have no idea who it is. Every now and again a new one is out here waiting for us in the morning. We've had volunteers watch but so far we've been unable to discover who it is," Harry said. "The winters can be a little rough up here. I guess this helps someone cope."

She just nodded a bit. They walked along the snow packed road towards Hogsmeade and came to the small stone house. Harry unlocked the door and waved them in.

"My wife and I rented this house my first year here, while our own home was being built. I've come to find I prefer the floo network over Disappartion so we bought this and I use it as my personal station," he said with a small smile. "There's the floo powder. The name of our destination is Meadow Crest."

The three visitors tested the name out and found it easy enough. Professor Ivanov was the first to go and quickly disappeared in green flame. His wife was the next one to step up and likewise quickly disappeared. As Professor Dragonova took a handful of powder she looked at Harry and said,

"I'm afraid I may embarrass myself here, Professor. I tend to scream a bit ven I use the netvork."

"That's quite alright, Professor. In a little while I'll introduce you to the Queen of the network screamers," he replied with a grin.

She smiled back a little, then threw the powder into the fireplace and stepped into the green flames. As she disappeared, he heard 'ahhh…' slowly fade away. With a broad smile, he followed suit, minus the scream. When he stepped out of the fireplace he found the three Bulgarians waiting for him, looking around the small brick room.

"Ah, I should have mentioned. For security reasons it was decided the network shouldn't open directly into our house. This is a small building near the garden. It connects to the house with a covered walkway. Please come this way," Harry said as he opened the door.

The air was cold but not so bad as at Hogsmeade, but brisk certainly. A quick walk had them to the rear door, which swung open and Kreacher bowed them in.

"Welcome, Master Harry, honored guests. Mistress Ginny waits in the living room."

"Thanks, Kreacher. These are Professors Dragonova, Ivanov and Ivanova. They'll be our guests for the next month. They'll be free to come and go as needed."

"Certainly, Master Harry."

Harry turned to his guests and said,

"If you choose the floo network this is the door to use. You may also Disapparate from the rear garden or the front portico, which I'll show you later, but not from within the house."

"More security, Professor?"

"I'm afraid so," Harry replied. "You can hang your cloaks here. If your shoes are wet or muddy, they can stay here. I'm afraid Dingle gets very annoyed if we track dirt into the house."

"Dingle?"

"The house elf that does the housekeeping," Harry replied.

Once free of their outerwear, Harry led his three guests throught he kitchen and into the living room. There they met Ginny, Abagail, and James.

"Professors, may I introduce my family. My wife Ginny, our daughter Abagail and our son, James. Family this is Professor Dragonova, Professor Ivanov and Professor Ivanova."

There were a number of handshakes and a few brief formal embraces. Professor Ivanov looked closely at Ginny and said,

"You look very familiar, Mrs. Potter," then he paused. "Potter? Ginny Potter," he said and then slapped his forhead. "Ginny Weasley Potter, star chaser for Holyhead Harpies. I attended two of your matches ven you vere playing in the international tournament in France. This is a most pleasant surprise. I hope ve have the chance to discuss a little Qvidditch vile ve are here."

"I would like that very much, sir," Ginny said happily, although she couldn't help notice his wife roll her eyes a bit.

"Professor Dragonova, I promised to introduce you to the queen of the floo network screamers and here she is," he said gesturing to Abagail.

"Harry!" Abagail said in dismayed embarrassment.

"It is qvite all right, my dear," the older witch said kindly. "It is a thrilling trip is it not," she finished with a girlish grin.

"Yes, ma'am," Abagail replied likewise.

"Please, everyone, sit down. We have some time before dinner," Ginny said. "Your luggage arrived this morning in good order and it's been moved to your rooms. Professors Ivanov and Ivanova will share our larger guest room and Professor Dragonova is in one of the smaller rooms. I hope you will find them comfortable.

"I'm sure ve vill," Professor Dragonova said. "I must say ve are qvite pleasantly surprised at our accomodations. Your home is qvite impressive."

"Thank you. Actually Ginny and Abagail did nearly all of the design work," Harry said.

"An amazing achievement," Professor Ivanova added. "It is very elegant yet it feels so varm and comfortable. I feel most velcome here. And the young man there is qvite the charmer as vell," she finished, nodded toward James.

He had been watching the younger witch since she entered and was smiling and playing 'peek-a-boo' with her.

"Yes, he is," Ginny said proudly. "But considering he's Harry's son, I'm sure that won't last forever."

"Hey," Harry protested.

After the laughter died down Ginny said,

"Well, why don't we show you to your rooms so you can check your luggage and freshen up before dinner?"

"That would be vonderful," Professor Dragonova said with the others agreeing.

As they proceeded into the hallway, the sound of barking could be heard from the other end of the house. Harry looked at his guests and said,

"I hope you don't mind dogs."

"Oh, no, not at all, Professor. I had to leave mine vith my sister. It will be nice to have von around," Professor Dragonova said. "It is very comforting to have little Tatiana sitting in my lap in the evening. Yours sounds a bit bigger, yes?"

"Just a bit," Ginny said dryly.

The sound of nails on marble could be heard coming from around corner of the hallway that led to the master bedroom and nursery. They could also hear Dinkle shout something incoherent. Then Snuffles came trotting around the corner. Abagail stepped forward and with a raised hand she brought the big Mastiff up short.

"Oh, my vord," the older witch said.

"Ladies and sir, my I introduce you to Snuffles."

"Snuffles?"

"Yes, a name that has a certain sentimental meaning from my younger days," Harry replied.

By this time Abagail had Snuffles by the collar and slowly brought him forward to meet the house guests. He was more than willing to sit down and receive head scratches and back rubs and James was trying to get his mother to put him down for a 'ride'. After a few minutes Abagail said she'd take charge of the dog and let Ginny and Harry get on with their business. As she led the big canine back down the hall Professor Ivanova turned and said,

"Your daughter is a lovely young lady. I was under the impression you vere a younger couple though."

"You're right, we are. Abagail is technically my legal ward, at least until her eighteenth birthday. It's a long story but she was orphaned at six and her grandparents began to fail when she was around thirteen. I got to know her when she was a first year and I was a teaching assistant my seventh. It just sort of worked out this way," he said with shrug. "She's a very gifted witch and a wonderful girl."

Then he pointed up the staircase.

"Your rooms are upstairs," he said and then led the way up.

Since he and Ginny went first he didn't see the looks exchanged between the three coming up behind. The rooms they were shown were more than adequate, they said. They confided they were going to have to be careful how they described their accomodations to their colleagues to avoid creating jealousies. Harry reminded them that their fellows would see that house on Sunday and Professor Ivanov said,

"Ve vill tell them that you have us on cots in the basement."

Harry laughed and said,

"Acutally the basement isn't all that bad, but it can be a bit chilly. We'll call you when it's time for dinner."

"Thank you, Professor. Your hospitality is most appreciated."

"It is our pleasure, ma'am."

The following morning after breakfast Harry escorted the three visiting professors back to Hogwarts where they met the others just as the students were filing out of the Great Hall.

"Ah, there you are, Harry. I trust all went well?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yes, ma'am, so far so good."

"Acutally it is far more than just good, Headmistress. Your Professor Potter and his family are most gracious hosts and their household staff threatens to spoil us shamelessly," Professor Ivanova offered.

The Headmistress smiled and said,

"I'm pleased you feel that way. Now, we were just getting ready to pair you up. Professor Dragonova, you will be going with Professor Slughorn, our Potions master. Professor Ivanov, you will be going with Professor Sprout and Professor Ivanova, you will be dividing your time between myself and Professor Potter. He is transitioning to becoming our full time Transfiguration instructor, right now he handles the first and second years. Professor Markovic, you will likewise be splitting your time between Professors Weasely and Potter who share Defense Against the Dark Arts duites. You'll begin with Professor Potter. He can explain the arrangement to you as you go. All right everyone, good luck and we'll see you at lunch."

The group of academics broke up into pairs and Harry stepped up to offer his hand to the short, stout wizard that stood regarding him with a wry smile.

"Good morning, Professor Markovic, I'm Harry Potter."

"Oh, I'm well aware of who you are, young fellow," the Professor said in remarkably good English. "Don't look so surprised. I lived in the U.K. from the time I was around a year old until I was fourteen. Completed three years here at Hogwarts. Couldn't say how thrilled I was to hear I was coming back for a visit."

Harry laughed a bit as he gestured for them to start walking. He said,

"Then you already are aware of how we do things here."

"That's true to a certain extent, but I know that you and Professor Weasley have been approaching DADA from a different direction and I'm very interested to learn about that. It's a pivotal question for us at the new school. Some are adamant about taking a new direction where others are less certain about setting the old ways behind us."

"Where do you stand?" Harry asked.

"Any accomplished wizard is capable of executing any spell he chooses, dark or no. The issue is under what circumstance is the spell being used and for what effect. Root causes, my boy, that's the key."

Harry had a feeling he was going to get on very well with Professor Markovic. When they got to their classroom all the first years, Gryffindor and Slytherin, were in place. Harry stepped in and said,

"Good morning, everyone. Allow me to introduce Professor Markovic, who will be teaching DADA at the new school we've told you about. Professor? Would you like to say anything before we begin?"

"Thank you, I would. Good morning, young ladies and gentlemen. First let me thank you for allowing me to intrude on your time here with Professor Potter. I'll do what I can not to make a nuisance of myself. As you can tell, I lack the more exotic nature of my colleagues. In fact, I spent most of my formative years right here in the U.K. and attended Hogwarts for three years. In fact," he said, looking towards the back of the room, " I believe I used to sit right there," he pointed to a seat occuplied by a Gryffindor witch. "I'm very much looking forward to spending time with you and I hope to learn a great deal from you. Professor Potter, thank you."

"Thank you, sir. Alright everyone, let's get started."

Harry conducted his class as usual, sitting on his stool or walking about, engaging his students in discussion every bit as much as he lectured. He would occasionally throw a question at Professor Markovic, who seemed to enjoy the opportunity to participate. When the class was over, the Professor indicated he was to remain there for Professor Weasley's class but he thanked Harry profusely for the experience. Harry's next class was second year Transfiguration. When he arrived he found Professor Ivanova waiting for him.

"Good morning, Professor," he said as he walked in.

"Good morning, Professor Potter. I'm looking forward to your class. Professor McGonagall had a free period so ve spent the time discussing this and that, and you."

"Me?"

"Yes, I von't go into all the details but suffice to say she is very pleased that you vill be taking over Transfiguration from her."

"The Headmistress is very kind. I don't suppose she told you what a disaster I was as a first year?"

"Acutally, yes, she did," Professor Ivanova said with a smile.

Harry was spared any further discussion with the arrival of the second years. Once they were seated Harry said,

"Good morning. Allow me to introduce Professor Ivanova. She'll be with us for the next month, learning about how we do things here at Hogwarts. Please make her welcome. Professor, would you like to say anything?"

"Only to say thank you. Ve'll talk more ven ve get to know each other better," she said addressing the class.

Once more Harry dove into his classwork, this session was a continuation in the long work required to learn to change the inanimate to animate and back. Professor Ivanova spent most of her time watching although she did agree to assist Harry when he asked if she would walk the aisles while the students attempted a practical exercise. She offered several students advice.

When the morning classes were done and the faculty gathered for lunch the visitors gathered for a few minutes and exchanged some comments, then proceeded to the table. The rest of the day followed suit. Harry was faced with a bit of a dilemma. As it was a Thursday he would have been expected to spend the evening at the school but with guests in the house he thought he should be at home. Professor McGonagall offered him some counsel.

"Harry, I think the students will understand the need for you to be elsewhere tonight. I think if you give it a week, you'll get your house guests comfortable with coming and going and you can then return to you usual routine."

"Yes, ma'am, I guess your right. I just figured there would be some questions about their projects that they might want to discuss."

"I'll tell you what we'll do. I'll make the announcement after dinner that you need to be home this evening and you can spare a few minutes after to answer any immediate questions of that nature and then you're off. How does that sound?"

"That's sounds reasonable, ma'am, thank you," Harry replied.

It took Harry about twenty minutes to handle the few questions that were brought forward and then he lead his group back to the the little house and on to Meadow Crest. Professor Dragonova motioned to Harry as they were walking towards the rear door.

"Professor Potter, vould you mind sparing us a few minutes this evening to discuss some of the things ve observed today?"

"I'd be glad to. When you're ready just come to the library. I'll be there shortly," he replied.

They nodded and once inside made their way to their rooms. Harry found Ginny in the library at the desk.

"Harry, I wasn't sure if we'd see you tonight," she said as she got up and hurried up to him.

After a hug and kiss he said,

"I wasn't sure what I should do, but Professor McGonagall suggested I should take a week to get our guests comfortable and then I can go back to my routine."

"Hmm, I like that idea. I find that big old bed lonely when you're not home," she said squeezing him harder.

"You should see how lonely a little old bed in the castle is. At least you can have Snuffles jump up and keep you company," he replied.

"Ah, no, I don't think so. He's just fine where he is keeping James company at night. So, where are the professors?"

"Their rooms. They'll be down in a bit. They asked me if I would answer some questions they have about what they saw today."

"Would you like me to move to the living room?" she asked.

"No, I don't think you need do that. You could probably add something to the conversation, I'd think."

"Alright, Harry, I will if you need me to."

With a peck on the cheek she moved back to the desk and her work. Harry moved some chairs from around the chess table and set them up closer to his chair. He sat down and waited. A few minutes later the professors arrived at the door to the library and Harry waved for them to come in.

"Please, sit where you'd like."

"Thank you, Professor," Professor Ivanov said as they all sat down. "I must say this is an exquisite chess set."

"Thank you, it was left to me. It proves to be very entertaining during family gatherings. If you don't mind, why don't we drop all the 'professors', it's getting to be a bit cumbersome. I'm just Harry," he said.

"That vould be fine, Harry, most people call me Eva," Professor Dragonova said.

Harry nodded and then said, "and Kasimir and Mira, correct?"

"Yes, just so," Kasimir said. "First of all, Harry, I'd vould like to say ve vere quite impressed vith vhat ve saw today. Your faculty appears to be very experienced."

"Yes, in fact Professor Weasley, Bill, and I are the least tenured. Bill started just after the fall of Voldemort. This is only my third year although the first was as a sabbatical from my job at the Ministry."

"You seem very much at ease in front of a classroom for so little experience, Harry," Mira said.

"Well thank you, I guess I just feel comfortable with my students and it's more like a conversation than anything else."

"Yes, I noticed that, Harry," Mira continued. "My days at school vere much different. Ve vould sit and listen to the lecture and qvestions vere only allowed at the end, if at all. Do you not feel that the interuptions interfere with the flow of the lesson?"

"Not really. Perhaps it's because I went from being a student right to teaching, at least as an assistant, so maybe I view it more from their prespective. An unanswered question can be a distraction for what follows so I feel it's best to clear it up as soon as possible. I simply pace my classes to allow for the questions and what follows."

"It does make a certain amount of sense," Mira conceeded.

"Harry, if I may," Kasimir began, "the Herbology program seems particulary active. Professor Sprout gave me a tour of the Potter facility. There is some very impressive vork going on there. Named for parents I presume?"

"Yes. I suppose I should explain. As you may know I was orphaned at one and raised by my muggle relatives until I was eleven and got my letter. I inherited from my parents but wasn't aware of it really for a while. When my godfather died, he too left me what was his, which was substantial. When I found out what Professor Sprout and my friend Neville Longbottom wanted to do, it seemed a fitting way to put that money to good use. They decided to name it after my parents. Neville is a brilliant Herbologist and I have great expectations about what is going to come from their work."

"To be honest vith you, Harry, I never really considered magic to be a subject of such extensive research. Several mentions vere made about new ideas that you vere bringing to the school and revisiting some of the more firmly held concepts," Eva said.

"I suppose that was driven by what I saw and learned about how Voldemort rose to power. His ideas were rooted in the old ways and his ability to attract followers based on some glorious vision of a return to the past. A past, that quite frankly, I don't think ever really existed. I just started to think about how we could try and move the community forward and avoid a repeat of past mistakes. What we are doing now is partly an outgrowth of that and of others taking the opportunity to add their own ideas."

"Vot vould you suggest ve do?" Eva prompted.

"Listen to your community. What do they want to see your school become? We can show you how we do things but that doesn't mean it's the way you should necessarily do it."

They continued the conversation for another hour or so. Ginny never did join in but she listened intently and made several significant notes in the journal she kept close at hand. And a pattern was set, at least in the Potter house where the visiting teachers made their rounds of the classrooms during the day and sat and talked with Harry, and increasingly with Ginny, about the school, events and the evolving nature of the British magical community as it continued to rebuild after the defeat of Tom Riddle.

The reception that Harry and Ginny hosted that first Sunday was quite an interesting event. Both the faculty of Hogwarts and the visiting academics enjoyed themselves immensely. Nibs and Kreacher outdid themselves providing hors d'oeuvres and a buffet dinner late in the afternoon. The chess set drew much attention as did Harry's collection of books. He spent a fair amount of time with several professors from both sides discussing his pending acquisition. Fleur proved to be a bit of a hit herself. She had come with Bill and managed to charm the entire visiting entourage. For a time she had settled into a quiet conversation with Eva Dragonova that included a fair amount of glancing in Harry's direction. Several tours of the house were made for small groups and Abagail wound up in a lengthy discussion with a tall witch who was going to be teaching Divination. By the time the discussion was concluded the older woman looked a bit stunned. Overall it was quite a successful affair and the two sets of instructors were much more at ease with each other when it was done.

Harry continued to host Professor Markovic in his DADA class as well as Mira in his Transfiguration class. No single professor came to his Applied Magic class but those that had the time would often drop in to observe and occassionally take part. The discussion about the projects seemed of particular interest. Eva and Kasimir were very impressed with Neville's work with the medicinal plants and requested that he come to the new school and consult on setting up similar efforts there. When Eva heard about Mrs. DuBonais she became very interested and Harry was happy to report that she agreed to pay a visit to the school and he was working to arrange it before the visitors left.

He was ultimately successful and was able to arrange for Anton's mother to arrive at the school late in the second full week of the visit. He arranged for her to use the floo network and arrive at his small house were he would walk her to the castle. She arrived bundled up heavily against the cold. Harry was thankful it was sunny with calm air. The cold still had it's affect.

"Ohh my, dis is just de worst, Professah. I hope dat de castle is nice and wahm."

"Yes, ma'am, it is," he said as he led her the short walk to the gates. "We picked the warmest room we could find for your visit."

"Ah, yo' ah a true gentleman, suh," she said with a laugh and took hold of his arm to steady herself on the hard packed snow.

As they passed under the archway of the front gate Harry felt her stiffen a bit and he turned to look at her and he saw how wide her eyes had gotten. Her grip on his arm tightened as well.

"Are you alright, Mrs. DuBonais?"

"I's just fine, Professah. De magic is just so strong heah, I can feel it in my bones. So different dan de bayou. One has ta look fo' it dere, in subtle places and quiet haunts. I wonder why dat is?"

"Perhaps it's the age of the place and the amount of magic that's been done here. Plus there are some very heavy enchantments on the castle itself for protection and to divert prying eyes. Not to mention over three hundred witches and wizards here, students and adults."

"Perhaps yo' right. Suddenly I envy mah son," she said quietly, almost to herself.

Harry said nothing further but led her into the castle and to the room where Professor Slughorn, his NEWT candidate class and Professor Dragonova were waiting. Harry led Anton's mother into the room and said,

"Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to introduce you to Mrs. DuBonais. Her son is a first year student here. They are originally from America, in the bayou country around New Orleans in Louisiana. She's been very kind to come out in this very unfamiliar cold weather to be here with us to share her experience in medicine making. Please make her feel welcome."

The voodoo witch, for Harry was assured that was what she really was, smiled and said,

"Ah'm ver' pleased ta be heah with y'all."

Professor Slughorn came forward and offered his hand.

"Dear lady, you do us great honor with your visit. I have been eagerly awaiting this day ever since young Harry first mentioned you. Please be seated and let's get you comfortable. And I would like to introduce you to my colleague, Professor Dragonova from Bulgaria."

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Mrs. DuBonais. It is a true privilege."

"So kind o' ya to say so, ma'am."

With that Mrs. DuBonais was settled on a tall legged chair alongside the other two adults facing the students. Harry sat off to the side to watch and listen. While she never completely relaxed, Anton's mother did seem more at ease as the session went on. The discussion began with some general questions about what sorts of medicines did she work with but as she went into more detail the concepts of voodoo itself began to come up and the discussion got more and more interesting. She had everyone's rapt attention as she told how she started to realize as a teenager that she was doing more than just mixing concoctions to formulas handed down from mother to daughter over a number of generations. She knew that she was taking in from her environment directly and putting something of herself into her potions and powders and that it was making them that much more effective. She paused and said,

"It makes me wondah, now it does, dat maybe de great voodoo priestesses were like dat. It makes me wonder what I could have learned if we had a place like dis ta go ta," she finished softly and then she shook herself a bit and looked at the class. "But pleased ah am that my Anton is heah and has de chance ta learn so much moah with all y'all ta help him along."

The students left after two hours but she remained to talk more with Professors Slughorn and Dragonova. Harry went off to teach a senior Applied Magic class and then returned. A number of samples of materials had been brought out and Harry heard words he wasn't really all that familiar with. He sat back and watched. It was obvious that in this context the woman was much more comfortable and it appeared, happy for the opportunity to talk shop, as it were.

Harry finally had to interrupt.

"Mrs. Dubonais, we've made arrangements for you to have dinner with your son in the Great Hall, then I'll take you back to the house in Hogsmeade for the trip home. And to say thank you for your time, I've arranged the trip back to Hogsmeade to be in a carriage. It should be warmer."

"Oh, you are de gentleman, you are, suh," she said with a broad smile.

Harry escorted her to the Great Hall where a space had been provided for her at Anton's table. He was very excited to see her and after some serious hugging, he sat her down and introduced her to his housemates. Harry retired to his usual spot at the head table and made a serious dent in his dinner. Professor McGonagall leaned towards him and asked,

"How did the visit go, Harry?"

"It was very interesting and educational. I'm convinced she's a very gifted witch, just lacking in formal training. As soon as she was on the school grounds she said she could feel all the magic around us. I'd like to see if there's a way we could help her learn more. Maybe once our visitors have moved on I can look into it."

The Headmistress nodded in agreement but what Harry missed was that several of the 'visitors' had made similar gestures as well. Professor Dragonova leaned in closer to whisper something to the Headmistress, whose head turned sharply, her eyes wide. Harry continued to eat, unaware of the exchange.


	26. Chapter 26

Professor Potter, Chapter 26

The final two weeks of the visit took on an almost routine nature. Harry had returned to staying over two nights a week while the three visiting teachers freely came and went from Meadow Crest. The nights that Harry was home invariably included some discussion of the day's lessons specifically or about education in general. Ginny and Abagail were regular participants now unless Professor Ivanov managed to steer the conversation towards Quidditch. At that point his wife would look for a book and Professor Dragonova would start a side conversation with Abagail about art.

Everyone seemed to truly enjoy the exchanges but near the end of the month one discussion got very serious. Harry had been curious as to why nothing had been mentioned about the situation at Durmstrang. Since it was the root cause of why all this was occurring, he found it odd that it hadn't come up. So he raised the issue himself.

"Professors, if it's not of out of keeping, can you offer any insight into what has been going on at Durmstrang these last few years?"

The three Bulgarians looked at each other in obvious discomfort but eventually nodded and Professor Dragonova took a deep breath and said,

"Please understand, Harry, that ve are all graduates of Durmstrang. Even Professor Markovic finished his schooling there. Ve find vot happened most embarrassing. No, I think the vord should be mortifying. Excluding myself ve all attended Durmstrang betveen thirty and forty years ago. For me it vas closer to fifty. Ve know that many do not appreciate the vay Durmstrang approached magical education, teaching only pure bloods and including practical instruction in the dark arts. But that is the vay it has always been done. But this situation goes vell beyond tradition," the older witch said, her expression grim.

"Igor Karkoroff vas a foolish man. He vas a fool to get involved with Voldemort and a bigger fool to think he could ever be done vith him. Igor may not have actively encouraged the expansion of the dark arts, but it vas vell known his sympathies lay in that direction. Those who thought likevise vere therefore emboldened. After Igor's death, a schism occurred. You could say the dark side von. This new headmaster vas their leader. He had been taken on shortly before Igor died. It vasn't long before those who opposed this direction vere forced out. So here ve are."

Harry could see that Eva was quite upset. He looked at her and said,

"I'm sorry, Eva. I didn't appreciate how you might feel."

She waved him off.

"There is no need to apologize, Harry. You of all people deserve to know," she said.

"You seem to be remarkably well informed," he went on. "It's been very difficult to find out anything specific up until now."

"Vell, Harry, I guess that is because I vas an eye vitness. I taught potions at Durmstrang for over twenty years. I vas von of those that vas pushed out."

Harry gave her a rueful smile and laughed a bit, then shook his head.

"It shouldn't be a surprise, I suppose. Our conversations were loaded with clues if I had really been paying attention. You talk like someone who knows her way around a classroom," Harry said, then he looked at her closely. "If you had all this first hand information why wait until now to say anything?"

"Harry, imagine if Voldemort had been successful in his attempt to take over Hogvarts. Vould you have been so ready to talk about being unable to stop vot happened?"

"I guess I can appreciate that," he said.

"For those of us that had to leave, it vas a very traumatic time. One of my colleagues vas so despondent he killed himself," she replied, looking at Harry. "You know vot it is to lose those close to you. Perhaps that is vhy I chose to speak of this to you."

"Do you know anything about this headmaster person?" he asked.

"He came to the school perhaps six months before Igor vas killed. He vas quite elderly, vas there to teach the use of certain dark arts, as ve alvays have. Almost immediately he began to press for increased instruction in a vider variety of the arts. He von over more than half of the faculty. There vas some talk that the re-emergence of Voldemort vas a sign that a new era was beginning."

"I assume he had a name?" Harry asked.

"Professor Nichengo, but it means nothing, Harry."

"I wouldn't say that, Eva. If we have a name we can do some investigating. It might give us some clues about why this is happening," Harry countered.

"No, Harry, you misunderstood. Nichengo means nothing, literally, in Russian."

"Professor Nothing?"

"I'm afraid so, Harry."

"Ah, well," he said with resignation. "At least we know more than we did before," he said.

"Harry, you keep saying 've'. Who is ve?" Mira asked.

Harry smiled a bit and said,

"I still have some contacts with the Ministry department for law enforcement. They've taken an interest out of concern it might have an impact here at home."

"Von vould think you have enough to do," she replied.

"A lot of people would agree with you, but this is important so I try to pay attention," he replied.

"Vell, Harry," Eva began, "I have told you vot I know. How you use it is your affair. Ve must look to the future. Your role in that effort is much more important to us and for that ve cannot thank you enough."

"I'm happy to have been able to help. It's been a great deal of fun, actually."

"Tomorrow is our last day, so I suppose ve should retire to our rooms and prepare our luggage. If you are not careful, Harry, Meadow Crest vill become synonymous vith hospitality though out the magical community."

Harry laughed at this, then bid his guests goodnight. Ginny had said her farewells at dinner, pleading one too many late nights of editing her brother's book on dragons, but Harry wasn't too sure. The send off for the visiting teachers was to be at lunch to allow them plenty of time to get on their way. Once the meal was finished Professor McGonagall got up and walked to the podium.

"It is with true sadness that we wish our new friends a safe journey and a successful start to their new school. They've made their time with us a valuable experience for us all," she said, then turned to face the visitors. "You're presence here has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. We wish you the best of luck and any assistance we can render in the future well be done so and gladly. Would anyone like to say a few words?"

Professor Dragonova nodded and came up to stand at the podium. Professor McGonagall stepped to one side. Eva looked out at the students and smiled.

"I vas asked by my colleagues to offer these few vords of thanks, insufficient as they are. First, to the students who gave so much of themselves and allowed us to be a part of their classes. To the faculty for taking so much time to share vith us your years of experience, knowledge and expertise. And to the staff for making our time here easier and keeping us vell fed. Of course for a very fortunate few ve vere privileged to be hosted by the Potter family. It vas an experience ve vill remember fondly alvays. Ve vill take many valuable lessons vith us ven ve leave but perhaps for me the most important is that ve are all part of a much larger vorld than just our own communities. Vile ve must remain separate from the greater non magical vorld, ve must not be separated from each other. I think your Professor Potter understands this better than anyone," she said looking back at Harry and then returning her attention to the students, "Again, thank you all."

She received a round of applause and then she returned the podium to the Headmistress.

"Thank you, Professor, for those kind, and wise, words. Again we wish you well on this exciting endeavor. Students, you are dismissed."

As the students left the hall the two groups of faculty exchanged farewells and then made their way out of the castle. After seeing the visitors off from the top of the front steps, the Hogwarts faculty dispersed to their classrooms. Professor McGonagall laid a hand on Harry's arm to hold him back.

"Congratulations, Harry. I think that went exceedingly well."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "I think we put our best foot forward and everyone got a lot out of it."

"Just so you know, Harry, don't be surprised if you receive an offer of employment from this new school," the Headmistress said, her expression serious as she regarded him over the top of her glasses. "Professor Dragonova suggested you'd make an excellent Headmaster for a new school. She thought your ideas and energy were a perfect fit."

Harry stared at Professor McGonagall wide eyed for a moment, then shook his head and laughed a bit.

"I wish you had told me before they left, Professor. I could have saved them the trouble of sending an offer, if they do. I have no interest in giving up teaching. I've barely just begun. And I certainly have no intention of leaving Hogwarts. No worries, Professor, you're stuck with me for as long as you'll have me," he said with a smile.

"I'm pleased to hear that, Professor Potter. Alright, off you go, your students are waiting," she replied.

"Yes, ma'am."

As Harry turned and headed for his classroom, the Headmistress' shoulders dropped a bit as the tension eased and she let out a long slow breath. As she watched his retreating back she thought it was all well and good to want to reach out and share and assist your fellow witches and wizards, but there were limits.

That evening Harry was sitting with Ginny in the library, he in his chair, she on the couch, her feet pulled up and tucked under her in a way that made his left knee ache just to look at her. She was sipping from a cup of tea.

"Wow, Harry, that's really amazing. I could tell they were really impressed with you but to want you to be the Headmaster?"

"I dunno, Gin. It sounds pretty ridiculous to me. You need someone with lots of experience for that kind of job. Who would take a kid like me seriously?" he asked.

"Harry, you're hardly a kid. Your reputation goes a long way to take the place of wrinkles and gray hair," Ginny replied.

Harry was looking at Ginny as she talked to him. Her eyes had a bit of darkness under them and she looked tired.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm just tired, Harry. I think I pushed myself too far working on the final draft of Charlie's book. Now that it is to the publishers I can get some sleep. In fact, once I finish this tea, I'm going to bed," she said, her voice strained.

"Alright, I'll be getting up early. I have to set up my class in the morning. You have a lie in. I'll have Abagail keep an eye on James in the morning."

She had drained the cup and put it on the table as he talked. She then snuggled into the couch back a bit and as Harry watched she drifted off to sleep. He watched her for a bit more then stood up and walked over to the couch. He worked his arms around her and lifted her up with little apparent effort. It was evident he still possessed the wiry toughness that was a legacy from his Auror training days. He carried here to their room and put her to bed. She didn't make a sound. Afterwards he found Abagail in her room and she told him she would take care of everything.

True to his word Harry had slipped out of bed before the sun had risen and after a quick breakfast he used the floo network to get to Hogsmeade. The sun was cresting the horizon as he made his way through the front gates of Hogwarts and up the path to the front door. He needed to get his classroom set up for his second year Transfiguration students who were going to be working on several practical exercises this morning.

It was apparent that a few fresh inches of snow had fallen the night before. As he walked he looked around at the dozen or so snow sculptures that decorated the grounds. As he looked he started to get that prickly feeling on the edge of his awareness that meant someone was around that he couldn't see. His dragon sense was giving him similar signals. On a hunch, Harry removed his wand from his robe and muttered 'homenum revelio'. To his left, perhaps fifty feet away, stood Stan Shunpike, putting the finishing touches on a rather accurate rendering of a Chinese style dragon. He smiled a bit and then said,

"Very nice work, Stan."

The caretaker froze in place and then looked over to see Harry standing in the path, watching him with his wand held at his side. Harry saw Stan's shoulders slump and with a final smoothing on the neck of the dragon, he took out his own wand and gradually rose up over the snow enough that he could float himself to the path. He set down a few paces away from Harry.

"Found me out then, did ya, Professor," he said.

"So it would appear, Stan."

"Gonna turn me in to the 'eadmistress, are you, sir?" Stan asked nervously.

"Why would I do that, Stan?" Harry asked in return.

"Well, sir, there's been all the 'ubbub about who's been doin' it and the 'eadmistress' warnin' to the students and all."

"The last time I looked, Stan, you weren't a student. In fact, as the Caretaker, you're supposed to be outside now and again, correct?"

"O' course, sir," Stand replied.

"Why don't you come with me for a few minutes," Harry suggested.

The two wizards walked up the path and into the castle, Harry leading the way to his Transfiguration classroom. Harry waved Stan ahead of him and closed the door.

"So, why all the secrecy, Stan? I would think someone with your obvious talent would like people to know about it."

"No, sir, bein' noticed just causes trouble. 'as for me, anyways," Stan replied.

Harry was moving about the room setting out objects his students would be working on later. He kept talking as he worked.

"I'll be honest with you, Stan. I wouldn't have thought of you as the artistic type."

"Nobody else did, neither. Didn't 'ave much growin' up. Barely 'ad enough to get through school but there was always a bit of mud or clay to make sumpin' out of. Da' used to get mad though. Said I was wastin' me time," he said with a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

"Did you try other things? Drawing or painting?" Harry asked.

"Once or twice with the drawin' but couln't make nothin' out of it. Only seems to work if'n it's just me bare 'ands."

"Why now, Stan?" Harry asked, stopping to look at the Caretaker from across the room.

"First time I've been free to do it, I suppose. Couldn't do it when I was a student 'cause of the curfew. Workin' the Knight bus and livin' in a little apartment didn't give me no chance to. The last years since you know 'oo fell were no better. This really be the first chance I've 'ad since I was really little."

"And last year?"

Stan laughed a bit and then said,

"Couldn't risk it with ol' Filchy around. 'e'd gone spare and tossed me out. Plus there weren't 'ardly no snow last winter."

Harry nodded, remembering the one bad storm early on and then just flurries the rest of the season.

"So you really not gonna turn me in, Professor Potter?"

"If you want it kept secret, I see no reason to spoil things. Your work is beautiful and everyone seems to enjoy them as well as the mystery. You're not breaking any rules or causing any harm. I would encourage you to look for other ways of using your talent, though, Stan. It's obvious you're good at it. Very good."

"Thanks for sayin' so, Professor. It's just 'ard, ya know? You get used to doin' or not doin' things. I wouldn't even know where I could do stuff like that."

Harry looked at Stan, who wasn't all that much older than he was and said,

"Stop thinking like a student, Stan. You're the Caretaker. You have all the keys and access to pretty much the whole place. There must be a room somewhere that's nice and quiet and hidden away."

Stand looked at Harry and he started to smile a bit.

"Right you are, Professor, and thank you."

"No, Stan, thank you. I love this old place but even I'll admit it gets a little dreary in the winter time. You've done us all a great favor by giving us something beautiful to look at."

When Harry was heading home late that afternoon he thought he really had something to tell Ginny and Abagail that was pretty amazing. Before the Bulgarians had arrived the identity of the mysterious snow sculptor was a topic of great interest. He figured he could trust them with the information and it would be a big piece of news. In fact, Ginny had him trumped in spades. He was let into the house by Kreacher.

"Hello, Kreacher, thanks."

"Master Harry is most welcome. Mistress Ginny says to tell Master Harry to come to the living room."

"Ok, Kreacher, thanks again," he said as he strolled out of the kitchen.

When he arrived at the entrance to the living room he found Ginny curled up on the couch as before, only this time she was wrapped in a blanket. She was reading a book which she put down as Harry moved closer.

"Welcome home, sweetheart," she said.

"Hi, how are you feeling? You still look tired," Harry said.

"I am tired, but I'm feeling wonderful. Sit down next to me," she said, patting the cushion next to her.

"He did so and she took hold of his hand and said,

"I was feeling a little sick this morning, so Abagail and I dropped James off with my mum and I went for an examination."

"Are you all right? Did they find anything wrong?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes, Harry, they did find something. I'm pregnant again, sweetheart."

Harry stared at Ginny wide eyed for a moment then he blinked once, then again. Finally, he smiled and his eyes began to fill. He slid closer to Ginny and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her hands over both of his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"When?" he asked.

"When am I due or when did it happen?" she asked with a little laugh.

"Both I guess. It's all related, isn't it?

"It had to have been the night before Christmas Eve. That puts the due date around the end of September."

Harry squeezed her tighter and said,

"The best Christmas present ever."

"Yes, dear, and I don't want you trying to top it in years to come," she said with a laugh.

They sat like that for a few minutes more and then Abagail came in with James in tow. She smiled when she saw them sitting together on the couch.

"I assume you told him," she said breathlessly.

"Yes, she did," Harry said, holding out one hand.

Abagail led James to the couch and then picked him up and handed him to Ginny. She then sat on the couch next to Harry to be wrapped in his free arm. They remained like that for the quarter hour or so that remained until dinner. They talked about possible names, depending on the sex of the baby, as well as alternatives for summer vacation. Ginny didn't think she would care much for the summer heat at that stage of a pregnancy. Nothing definite was decided since they felt they had some time left to plan.

The next several days were filled with a lot of coming and going at Meadow Crest. Just about everyone in the family put in an appearance to offer congratulations and see how the mother was doing. Percy was absent due to an out-of-the-country assignment but four days after the general announcement was made, a delivery of flowers from brother to sister arrived. The second Saturday night after Harry found out he was going to be a father again he was sitting in the library reading. Ginny was in bed already and he was thinking he needed to turn in himself. Unannounced, a very agitated Ron Weasley hurried into the room followed by an equally agitated Dinkle.

"Harry, I need your help out at Shell Cottage right now."

Harry bolted out of his chair and said,

"What's wrong?"

"That crew from the Quidditch park we took care of. A bunch were overheard at the Three Broomsticks. They were pretty drunk but they said a lot about how it was time to even the score. Come on."

"Dinkle, if Ginny wakes up tell her where we went, but don't wake her."

"Yes, Master Harry," Dinkle replied.

Harry grabbed his wand and hurried out after Ron. As they went Harry said,

"How many are we talking about?"

"Dunno, Harry, more than a few, I'd say," Ron replied as they went through the front door.

"How many of yours do you have, Ron?"

"Only four, Harry. It's been a busy night. Ready?"

"Go, I'm right behind you," Harry said.

They Disapparated to the garden behind the cottage. When they appeared three other members of the Tactical Squad stepped from concealment. It was Katie Bell, Parvati Patil and an older Auror Harry recognized but couldn't recall a name.

"We got here first at least," Ron said.

"Are you sure about this, Ron?" Harry asked, looking around.

"Sure enough to drag you out in the middle of the night in bloody February, mate. Madame Rosmerta alerted us and we trailed a few of them as they left her place. They're gathering a crew."

"But why here?" Harry asked.

"Something about it being out of the way. Easy pickings," Ron said angrily.

"Alright. Let's go get Bill and his family out of there while we have time," Harry replied.

"Right you are, Chief," the older Auror said. "You three watch out here. We'll be right back. Signal if trouble shows up."

Harry and Ron moved towards the cottage. Before they reached the door, it swung open. Bill, wearing an old cloak, stood in the doorway, wand in hand.

"Harry? Ron? What in the name of Merlin is going on out there?"

"A gang of those hooligans we taught a lesson to in Quidditch last summer are on their way here. Get Fleur, Gabi and the kids and take them to my house," Harry said.

"Harry, I'll send them but I'm not going to let you two defend my home without me," Bill said.

"I'll need you there in case they try for the house. Contact Charlie and Dad. They can help. Please, Bill, hurry up," Harry said. "It was my idea to teach them a lesson. Guess I didn't do a very good job."

By the time the three brothers were in the house, Fleur was standing in the middle of the small living room looking disheveled and more than a touch annoyed.

"What ees all theese?"

"We've got trouble coming, dear," Bill said. "We need to get you all to Harry's house right now."

"Don't be reediculous, Beell. Eef someone breengs trouble we will make them regret eet, together," Fleur said obstinately.

Harry stepped to stand right in front of her and said,

"You weren't asked, Fleur, you were told. Get your children and your sister and get the hell out of here. Go to Meadow Crest and stay there until you're told you can come home. Do it now."

Fleur looked at Harry wide eyed and then they narrowed.

"Now I see it, 'arry. Alright, we weell go."

Within five minutes the cottage was empty. Two of the Aurors watched the house while the rest took up positions in the low brush around the edge of the back garden. Harry had left his home without a cloak. In fact, he was still wearing his slippers but he didn't feel the winter night cold. In fact, the cold frost-hardened ground around him was softening from the heat he was throwing off. At the moment, Harry wasn't angry anymore. He had gone past anger to that cold reptilian place. Someone had transgressed in the worst way possible. They had threatened his family. They would be made to pay.

Harry wound up fighting two battles that night. The obvious one was relatively short, loud and violent. The second was quiet, internal and much less certain in its outcome. As the first of the hooligans appeared, the anger began to rise again. Harry had come to enjoy the relative quiet of the last two years and these drunken, swaggering idiots that were gathering at a distance from the cottage were a very unwelcome intrusion. The quiet battle that was beginning was not between Harry's wizard self and dragon self. It was between the two halves of his very human self. The rational half insisted that he do what was minimally necessary to protect his family and let the law deal with the rest. His irrational, emotional half was insisting that the law seldom provided for lasting solutions and the only course to take was to obliterate the menace once and for all. At the moment, the irrational side was winning.

As he waited he felt more than saw the group that was beginning to fan out in order to approach the cottage. Harry moved to his right to come upon the last of the hooligans to that side. The grubby wizard had his wand out and was crouching as he walked. Harry pointed his wand and ground out forcefully but not too loudly, 'expelliarmus'. The reddish beam from Harry's wand sent the hooligan's wand sailing into the bushes and the hooligan bouncing off a nearby tree to land in a pile that didn't move. Harry quickly moved past the recumbent form and slipped around the tree, seeing another figure slowly moving forward. He must have made some small noise because the wizard stopped and said,

"Nigel, is that you?"

"No," Harry said menacingly, "it's me."

The wizard swung around only to catch another 'expelliarmus' spell. He came to a stop in a heap a dozen paces away. Closer to the house came several familiar voices yelling 'stupefy' and a general shout went up. Close by he heard a heavy crashing through the low undergrowth. He stood fast and was soon faced with an apparently panic stricken wizard of sizeable proportions running directly towards him. Perhaps because he heard the others us it, he chose to stupefy the fleeing wizard. His spell hit a fair bit harder and the big man seized up and tumbled as he fell forward. He heard more noise and from where he stood he saw one diehard trying to use sparks from his wand to set the cottage roof afire.

Harry's anger flared white hot and so did his wand. Without really thinking about it, Harry fired 'incendio draco' but did so imperfectly. It struck the ground to the wizard's side and exploded. Instead of incinerating him on the spot, it threw him a number of yards away, his robes in flames. One of the Aurors, Harry didn't know which, doused him with water from his wand. Through the haze of his anger he heard someone say something about brooms and saw several flyers take to the sky. Several red beams failed to find a target. He took careful aim and fired three rapid bursts of 'Confringo' and was rewarded with three broom tails bursting into flame. The old, dry twigs were quickly consumed and the brooms dropped wildly out of the sky. Three sickening thuds were the only sounds that he heard. Then it got very quiet.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Ron, over here, mate," Harry said.

Ron approached cautiously, uneasy about the edge he heard in Harry's voice.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked.

"I'm not hurt, if that's what you mean," he replied.

"Some additional help has arrived. Looks like they called in some of the off duty patrollers. If you want to go home and check on everyone, we can clean things up here."

"I think I need to hold off on that a minute or two. I need to cool down and collect my thoughts first," Harry said.

"Alright, mate, whatever you say," Ron replied and then watched as Harry walked in the direction of the cliffs that overlooked the sea.

Ron's description of the additional help was slightly understated. In addition to approximately a dozen patrollers both Chief Maxwell and Deputy Chief Milligan had arrived. As Harry faded into the darkness Ron heard,

"Weasley?"

He turned and saw his two superiors standing and looking about.

"Care to fill us in?" the Chief asked.

Ron provided a brief overview of what had occurred from the time Madame Rosmerta informed the local Patrollers about what she heard until just before the Chief and Deputy arrived. Chief Maxwell looked at Ron and said,

"So you took it upon yourself to come out here?"

"More or less, sir. Mr. Fluegrate was there but with Ms. Muntab still on vacation we made the choice, sent out the general alarm and got out here," Ron replied.

"Why the boss?" Milligan asked.

"I figured we needed all the help we could get with just the four of us."

"You are aware of why he was never supposed to go out into the field?" Maxwell asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And you were prepared to live with the consequences?" Milligan inquired.

"Yes, sir, besides, I doubt I could have lived with the consequences of not asking him and having something happen to my brother or his family."

The three wizards stood together watching as Patrollers and Aurors checked on the fallen hooligans. It appeared that the first two that Harry got plus the one who tried to set fire to the cottage were in a very bad way. A Patroller was set off to St. Mungo's for assistance. Another Patroller reported that the three that tried to escape by broom would also need medical care. Maxwell finally turned to Ron and asked,

"Where is he?"

"Harry? He went towards the cliffs. Probably wanted some time to himself," Ron replied.

The subject of their discussion was at that moment standing perhaps halfway between the front off the cottage and the edge of the cliffs. He could see the dim moonlight glinting off the wave tops and he could feel the cold wind coming in off the sea. As his anger cooled so did he and he was beginning to feel the winter cold. He decided he better get home soon or risk getting sick. He turned but before he walked away he looked at the front of the small cottage, imagining several small children running and playing, the sound of their laughter ringing out over the booming surf at the base of the cliff. He stood for a moment, nodded once and then walked back to where Ron was standing with his two bosses.

"Gentlemen," Harry said by way of greeting.

"Chief," Milligan offered.

"Sir," Maxwell said.

"You know, I think its time we dispensed with that. 'Harry' will do just fine or 'Professor Potter' if you can't bring yourself to do it."

The two men simply nodded. Harry continued,

"If you have any questions for me, I'd appreciate you holding off on them for a bit. Maybe come out to the house Monday or Wednesday evening. I'll feel more like talking then."

"I think we can make that work, Professor," Maxwell said with a small grin.

In the future, whenever Maxwell and Milligan talked to Harry together they both called him 'professor'. If it was just Milligan it was always 'chief' no matter how many times Harry told him not to. If they, or anyone else associated with the Aurors or Patrollers talked about him it was always 'the chief'.

Harry nodded and then looked at Ron.

"I'm heading for home, Ron. Stop by when you get the chance."

"Sure thing, mate. See ya later."

"With that, Harry Disapparated back to Meadow Crest but instead of the portico he chose the spot near where the path came out of the woods.

"Hello the house," he called out.

"That you, Harry?" Charlie replied.

"Yes. Everything alright here?" he asked.

Charlie stepped out of the shadows by the front door and said,

"Yes, it's been quiet. Out here at least," he said with a small grin.

Harry walked up to the portico, seeing Charlie more clearly.

"How did it go at the cottage?" Charlie asked.

"Brief, noisy, and painful, for them," he replied quietly.

Charlie just nodded and when Harry joined him at the top of the steps, he draped an arm around Harry's shoulders and together they went inside for an experience that was just as noisy, not nearly so brief, and only a little bit painful.


	27. Chapter 27

Professor Potter, Chapter 27

It was late on Sunday afternoon and the house was finally settling back to normal since Harry had arrived home from the fight at Shell Cottage slightly after midnight. As might be expected, there was a lot of hugs and kisses as he got through the front door. Then came questions, some answers and more questions. The children were put back to bed shortly after Harry got home and it was decided that Bill and Fleur would stay until morning so Ron and his squad mates would have time to clean things up. Harry didn't even bother going to bed. Once he saw Ginny and James were settled in their beds he went back into the living room and sat in a chair that allowed him to look out through the large windows in the night sky beyond. He had been sitting there for perhaps a quarter hour when he said without looking,

"Hello, Fleur. I thought you would have gone to bed by now."

"I should but sometheeng told me you would be down 'ere somewhere. I saw that the library was empty," she said quietly as she came in to sit down in a chair opposite Harry.

She was still dressed in the same robe she wore when she left the cottage for the haven of Meadow Crest. It was obvious she had found the time to pull herself together. Her disheveled hair was pulled back and she looked more awake.

"'ow are you feeleeng, mon ami?"

Harry looked at her and smiled a bit and said,

"Annoyed, I guess you could say. At least now that it's over and you are all safe."

"Just annoyed, 'arry?" she asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

"Yes, I left angry back on the cliffs in front of your house. We'll need to visit more often when the weather improves. I imagine it's really nice there in the summer."

"Oui, mon frere, you are always welcome, of course."

"Back to your question though, yes, annoyed. We just spent a month working with some very dedicated people who are going to start a new school rather than let there children be victims of someone's twisted vision. Bill and I work every day of a school year to teach our own kids how to avoid going in that direction. And what happens? I have to break the heads of a bunch of drunken idiots bent on revenge for us humiliating them in that Quidditch match."

"Do you theenk you should 'ave 'andled eet deefrently back then, 'arry?" she asked.

"Maybe, but I don't see how. I just don't think they would have been willing to reason it out."

Fleur looked at him, her face and eyes very serious. Then she said,

"You know, 'arry, I theenk you 'ave 'ad to deal weeth a serious 'andicap."

"Really, how so?" he asked.

"You 'ave 'ad to deal weeth such large problems, for so long that you forget that most problems are rather small and ordinaire. You 'ad the loss of your parents, finding out you were a weezard and then all the troubles weeth Voldemort. Add to that your work at the Meenistry and now Durmstrang and all that that entails. So when you see sometheeng so ordinary as those 'ooligans, as you call them, you don't realize 'ow they might react to what 'appened to them and 'ow they might act in return," she said.

"Are you saying I've lost touch with ordinary witches and wizards? That I'm not one of them anymore?" he asked, sounding a bit anxious.

"Mon ami, you never were one of them. No matter 'ow 'umble your life was een the begeeneeng, there was never anything ordinary about you. Not your ancestry, your abeelities, or your character. Oh, do not look at me that way, 'arry. What ees eenportant ees that you never lost your concern for the ordinary weetch and weezard. The whole idea of the patrollers and 'ow you ran your department was all about the weetch and weezard een the street you said. The amount of time you spend weeth your students ees the same theeng. Your eenstincts push you to do theese theengs. But I theenk with all must deal weeth you are going to 'ave to work very 'ard not to lose sight of what ees really eemportant to us, to you."

"I never even considered that," he said thoughtfully.

"You probably 'aven't 'ad the time," she said with a small smile.

He gave her a bit of a smile in return as she stood up and made an imperious gesture for him to do likewise. When he did, she stepped up and wrapped her arms around him, a gesture he returned, and gladly. With her mouth close to his ear she said,

"As always, 'arry, follow your 'eart, eet 'as always been your best guide. And do not be too concerned weeth your annoyance. Eet ees part of being 'uman, magical or no."

Then she pulled back slightly and kissed his forehead and laid a hand on his cheek.

"Now, chere, get some rest, I can see 'ow tired you are."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied.

Those who were up and about later that morning found Harry asleep on a couch, wrapped in a blanket. He was facing the window. By the time he awoke his breakfast was actually going to be lunch and the house guests were getting ready to go home. Ron had come by and given the all clear. He had taken Harry aside and told him that with the exception of the would-be arsonist all those he had taken down were expected to recover. Their injuries were mostly bruising, concussions and assorted fractures. The firestarter was going to be touch and go for a while as the combination of the blast and the impact with the ground caused some significant internal damage. There were also some burns on his face and hands. Harry acknowledged the news with a nod.

Harry was thinking about all this as he sat near the fire in the living room, a book on his lap. His position allowed him a view of the entrance and the corridor beyond. His concentration was broken by an unusual sight. Snuffles trotted past, his tongue lolling out, with James in tow, literally. The boy had the dog's collar gripped in both hands, but instead of lying halfway on its broad back, he was standing upright at his side, stocking feet sliding on the smooth floor. As Harry watched, the pair disappeared from view and he could hear the clicking of toenails on stone. A few moments later they reappeared coming from the opposite direction, James looking at his father over the top of Snuffles back, his eyes wide and smiling from ear to ear.

On the third trip past, James got a little overconfident and let go of the collar with one hand and began to wave at his father. The one handed grip wasn't enough to keep him upright, however, and he slipped and slid down the dog's side until their feet got tangled up. James wound up on the floor on his back with Snuffles looming over him. At moments like this the big mastiff was a creature with no mercy and he showed none now. He began to lick James' face relentlessly. With a tongue that could cover half the boy's face at a go he soon had James' laughing and screeching.

Harry slowly got to his feet and went to his son's rescue. He took hold of Snuffles' collar and hauled him back, then reached down and picked James up off the floor with the other hand. By this time Ginny came down the hall from the bedroom where she had been resting.

"What in the world is going on here?"

"James was trying his hand at Snuffles skiing and it went bad for him," Harry replied.

"Excuse me?" she said, looking baffled.

"The boy and the dog were playing and James wound up getting his face licked."

"Oh, well, why didn't you say so in the first place?" she asked.

"I thought I did. How are you feeling," he inquired.

"I'm kind of tired still but my stomach is settling down. I'll have just a bit of supper and then go to bed early," she said.

"Good idea."

"How are you doing, sweetheart?" she asked.

"A little tired still myself, but alright otherwise."

"You'll be going up to school tomorrow?" she asked.

"Of course. One more good night's sleep and I'll be fine," he replied.

"Alright. Well it' almost time for dinner. I'll get James cleaned up and you keep an eye on that one," she said, nodding at Snuffles.

Harry had to laugh. Ginny had warmed up to Snuffles quite a bit but at times like this she always referred to him as 'that one'. He looked down at the big brown eyes and said,

"Don't worry, big fellow. She loves you."

The following morning Harry arrived at the school, pausing to examine the snow sculptures. Some of the original few were showing signs of the effects of the winter sun and one looked like it had some repair work done to it. But overall they were amazing creations and gave the front of the castle an almost fairyland image. As he let himself in the front door he saw the students leaving the Great Hall. As was usual he received a number of greetings but he also noticed a number of nudges and whispered comments. He assumed there were at least some students aware of the events of the weekend and he might face some questions during the day.

And he did. Apparently, information got out from St. Mungo's and the Three Broomsticks and found its way to the student body. His explanation was short and simple. Someone in his family needed help and he provided it. In the process some people got hurt. End of story. He knew that wouldn't necessarily satisfy everyone but if word got around he wasn't going to say much the questions would stop. He also thought he needed to go into Hogsmeade so he could thank Madame Rosmerta for her timely warning. At lunch time he had a chance to talk to Bill.

"How are things at the house? Fleur alright about being there with just the girls?" Harry asked.

"She's not exactly alone. Mum is there today. She and Charlie are going to trade days for the next couple of weeks, until your former colleagues give the all clear. Ron said they have a couple of fugitives to run down. Besides, I left a few surprises around the outer edges of the property. Anyone comes skulking around is in for a bad time," Bill said with an unpleasant smile made to look more menacing by the scars. "How are you feeling today?"

"Alright. I slept pretty well last night."

"Good, I may have to send you a bill for landscaping repairs," Bill said.

Harry's eyebrows went up a bit.

"Found quite a bit of the lawn in the rear garden burned out. Apparently someone was a bit careless with his aim," Bill said with a more genuine grin.

Harry laughed a bit and shook his head. Then he looked at his big brother and said,

"I'm curious, Bill. I remember when we were hiding out in the cottage after escaping from the Malfoy's that the cottage had a Fidelius Charm on it. How'd that lot find it?"

"Ah, well, that's our fault, Harry. After everything was done with Voldemort and we were reasonably sure that all his cronies had been taken care of we removed the charm. We wanted to make things more normal I'd guess you'd say. Guess we made a mistake."

"Not really, Bill. How could you know? Besides, they could have come after us at Meadow Crest or Mum and Dad at the Burrow. But I'm glad you've taken some steps. With your experience I bet it's some pretty nasty stuff."

Bill just winked. That afternoon Harry had a free period but it was reserved for an interview by the three students doing the analysis of his various encounters for their project. Harry was meeting them in his office to afford some privacy. He was sitting at his desk when he heard the knock and called out,

"Please come in."

The Ravenclaw witch and two wizards came in and Harry directed them to chairs he had placed by his desk. The office wasn't overly large so it was a bit of a tight fit.

"Ok, so why don't we dive right in," Harry suggested.

"Yes, sir," the witch began. "We've accumulated a fair amount of information, both from various books and periodicals, as well as discussions and correspondences with those here at Hogwarts and family and former colleagues of yours at the Ministry."

"Very thorough," Harry commented.

"Thank you, sir, but to be honest you didn't leave us much choice. Your activities are a rather complex subject and since you haven't produced any written commentary as of yet, we've had to do a fair amount of digging."

Harry simply nodded.

"While the sources I've talked about have provided a great deal of factual information we've had some difficulty uncovering, well, what we would call the motivation, I guess, behind much of your actions and activities. Beyond simple survival that is," she concluded.

"They won't tell you what they thought were the reasons why I did something the way I did?" he asked.

"That's correct, sir. We," she said gesturing to the two wizards with her, "talked about it a time or two and it seemed to us that it was almost as if they were trying to protect you in some way."

"I would say that there was no 'almost' to it at all," Harry said with a smile, looking at the three very serious faces before him. "Let me see if this will help you any. One of the traits that I've noticed very consistently about members of Ravenclaw house is a very strong tendency toward rational, logical thinking. This can be a very useful characteristic and tends to make Ravenclaws very successful in a number of varying endeavours.

"Where it can cause problems, however, is when it comes to understanding, or dealing with, people who aren't similarly rational or logical. It makes it hard to understand people's thoughts and actions that are driven more by emotions. Let me ask you this. You've been students of mine for three years now. How would you describe me?"

"Describe you, sir?" the witch asked.

"Yes, my behavior, attitudes, that sort of thing."

The three students looked at each other and put their heads together and whispered a bit. Harry sat quietly and watched them. After a moment or two they pulled back and the witch addressed Harry.

"We would say that you were calm, pleasant, good natured. You don't take yourself too seriously but you are very concerned with us, your students. But you can get very serious when you need to such as dealing with students acting up or causing trouble."

"Alright, I'll accept that," he replied. "Now, would it surprise you to know that on at least one occasion, I was prepared to kill another wizard slowly and painfully, while he was completely helpless, because of what he tried to do to a member of my family?"

The three Ravenclaws simply nodded, a little wide eyed.

"When you try to understand someone's reasons, their motivations, you have to first understand them. Coming from a mindset of rational, logical thought, you're having a hard time realizing when someone is acting out of fear or anger. What I would suggest you do is go back over those events you're having trouble understanding and say to yourself 'was he scared here?' or 'could this be a result of anger?'. If you do, I think you will find the connection to be much easier to make."

"Yes, sir."

"Come back and see me in a week or so and let me know how you're getting on."

"Yes, sir," they chorused.

When the students left, Harry couldn't help but smile. He thought that if the three students were ever really able to figure out what was going on inside his head, they'd wonder what he was doing walking around free and not in a ward at St. Mungo's.

As the week progressed the uproar of the weekend settled down. Ron stopped by to tell Harry that the Chief and Deputy felt they had seen and heard enough to know what occurred and they didn't see any need to intrude on his time. That Saturday some of the family had gathered at Meadow Crest in the afternoon. Harry presumed it was to check up on him. Bill and his family were there, as was George and his, plus Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ron and Hermione. Harry hadn't been aware of any plans for the day but it appeared to well orchestrated to be a coincidence.

But he didn't mind in the least. He was especially enjoying James demonstrating his growing skill level in Snuffles skiing. Victoire gave it a try and found it to be immensely entertaining. Little Fred couldn't be bothered. Another item of interest was that George and Angelina were in the process of buying a house. It was in Hampshire, outside the town of Ringwood, near the New Forest National Park. Similar in nature to Harry's library acquisition, the house and property were being sold by the family of a recently deceased elderly witch, whose children preferred a more modern, urban lifestyle. It would need some work but it was quiet, out-of-the-way and had enough room for a young family.

"Of course, that means the apartment over the ice cream shop is going to be vacant," Angelina said.

"You would per'aps like to rent eet, yes?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, we were thinking about it, why?" Angelina replied.

"I beeleeve eet ees time I found a place to leeve for myself. I theenk George is 'appy with my work and I am takeeng up too much space at the cottage."

"Gabi! Where deed you get that idea?" Fleur asked indignantly.

"I thought of eet myself, seester. You 'ave been very generous but seense I started workeeng for George I 'ave not been much 'elp weeth the children or the 'ouse," Gabrielle said. "You were on your own at thees age, yes?"

Fleur had to reluctantly admit this was true but it was obvious she wasn't happy with idea. Harry knew that Gabi had been another target of Fleur's strong mothering instincts. Mrs. Weasley saw this too.

"It's difficult, isn't it, my dear? I remember how bad I felt when Bill first left to go running around treasure hunting for Gringotts. And then Charlie going off to Romania. At least Gabrielle will be relatively close by," she said and then looked at Angelina. "And what about little Fred? Who'll be watching him then?"

"I was thinking of reducing the amount of hours I put in at the shop, I have some very trustworthy employees now and he can be there when I am working."

"Perhaps we should discuss this a bit more, later, dear," Mrs. Weasley said.

George and Angelina shared a knowing look. Right at this time Snuffles legged it past the living room entrance with James and Victoire 'skiing' along on either side, giggling the whole time. The adults started laughing and this broke the mood. That is to say most started laughing, Fleur was still sitting with a somber expression, her hands clasped in her lap. As usual, she was sitting near Harry and he leaned toward her and said,

"Think of it this way, Fleur. This will help you practice for when it's time for Victoire and Dominique to leave home."

Fleur's expression went from somber to horrified.

"'arry! Do not even theenk of such a theeng."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. Another sign of normality returning to the Potter household, as normal as a magical house could be, that is, was the return of the study group. Since they had been working more or less individually for over a month the first order of business was to convene in the dining room to share their results to date.

"As you know, Harry, we've made some real progress with the potion formulas that we've found. St. Mungo's has begun tests and the results are promising," Professor Slughorn said. "And the extract that young Longbottom discovered in those plants we found reference to has produced some dramatic affects amongst the patients in the chronic illness wards."

"That's really terrific, sir," Harry said.

"As for us, Harry," Professor Vector began, "Angus has been finding some significant clues. Professor Babbling and I are starting to recognize some words and phrases matching from one text to the other. However it's far too early to tell whether or not there's any coding beneath the translation."

"Well," Hermione began, "if he's consistent there probably is. Professor Flitwick and I have translated about half the early Latin portion and what we came up with doesn't make a lot of sense. We're not sure if the code is in the Latin or the translation. My guess is if he wrote it as he lived, the code is in the Latin."

"I get the feeling sometimes that our court wizard was just as much a jester, with this being his last big practical joke. On us," Harry said.

"Now, now, my boy," Professor Slughorn said. "You can't expect the wizard to give up the secrets of a hundred lifetimes so easily. Patience, Harry, patience."

Harry patiently sat while some more details were discussed and then the team members retired to the basement workroom. He was pleased to see that Angus was looking better. He hadn't added any weight that could be seen but he was no longer so gaunt in the face and his skin color was much better. About half-an-hour later Kreacher walked into the library with a message in his hand.

"This arrived for Mastery Harry, by owl."

"Thanks, Kreacher," Harry said as he took the folded sheet of parchment. It was addressed to Harry from Mrs. Figg. Harry got a bit of a chill. He quickly opened it and read. He started to relax as he read the opening lines but then began to frown. He got up from his chair and carried the message while he went looking for Ginny. He found her in the nursery with James. She was watching her son play with his toys as she jotted a few lines down in a muggle notebook.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said as Harry walked in. "I'm making some notes about the move."

"The move?" he asked looking puzzled.

"Yes, silly boy. Did you think James was going to share the nursery with the new baby?"

"Ah, yes, you're right. I probably wouldn't have thought about it until around August," he said.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating, Harry. What's that you have clutched in your hand there?"

"Oh," he said, holding it up. "It's a message from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia passed on by Mrs. Figg. It seems he's recovered and would like to take us up on my invitation to visit."

"Pull the other one," she said.

"I'm serious. They wonder if they could do it in the next couple of weeks. What would you think of Saturday?" he asked.

"What? The one upcoming? A bit soon, wouldn't you say?" she asked with a bit of an edge.

"Why postpone it? Beside I must say I'm curious. Especially about Dudley's wife. They'll be coming, too."

"Would she know about your being a wizard?"

"I doubt it," Harry replied. "I can't imagine it being something they'd talk about. We'll assume not and have the elves stay out of sight."

"Alright, Harry, if you want to do this, I'll go along, but I'll only be smiling on the outside," she said.

"That's all I can ask, love."

Harry set a message back to Mrs. Figg suggesting the day and time for the visit. He indicated if agreeable he would also provide directions. He was going to have to talk to the Salisbury Construction people about temporarily deactivating the shield on the entrance to the access lane. When he mentioned the upcoming visit to Bill the next day at school his older brother smiled ruefully and said,

"You're a braver fellow than I ever thought, Harry."

"What do you mean?"

"Putting your aunt and uncle in the same house as Ginny. You should hear some of the things she's said about them and what she'd like to do to them if they ever met," Bill said.

"She's promised to behave herself and even smile," Harry said.

"That proves it then," Bill said with a straight face.

"Proves what?"

"Just how much she really loves you."

Ginny's opportunity to demonstrate her devotion to Harry came right on time at one o'clock in the afternoon that Saturday. The weather was cold and clear but it hadn't snowed in several weeks so the roads and pathway were clear. Harry had been watching from the living room window and saw the four muggles appear from the woods. Even from where he stood he could see that Uncle Vernon's bulk had been significantly reduced. He walked with Aunt Petunia to the front with Dudley and presumably his wife following behind. Harry couldn't help but smile when he saw their reaction upon first seeing the house. His aunt and uncle slowed their pace and she pointed to the house and spoke animatedly to her husband. It looked like Dudley and his wife were whispering to one another. He went to stand on the front portico and waved. As his aunt and uncle reached the bottom of the steps he said,

"Welcome to our home. Hello, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia. Hi, Dudley."

"Well, boy, I must say, this is quite a house you've got here," Uncle Vernon said.

"Thank you, sir. Please, let's get out of the cold," he replied and let them up to the front door and then let them in.

Dudley waved his wife inside ahead of him and as he walked past his cousin he gave him an odd smile. Harry brought up the rear and shut the door behind them.

"Oh, my goodness, it's magnificent."

This came from the young woman standing next to Dudley. Harry shifted his attention to her more fully. While not exceedingly attractive, she wasn't particularly plain, either. The top of her head barely came to Dudley's shoulder but that only meant she was of average height. Her hair was brown and reached to her shoulders and her brown eyes were rather wide as she looked around the entry hall.

"Thank you, er…" Harry let it hang.

"Oh, sorry, Harry," Dudley said. "This is my wife, Mary. Mary, this is my cousin, Harry."

"Well, I didn't think he was the butler, Duds," she countered with a grin and a poke in the ribs.

"It's my pleasure, Mary. Welcome to the family. Let's go into the living room, the rest of the family is waiting for us."

"Harry led them into the living room where Ginny, Abagail and James were waiting. They all stood up when Harry led the others in and the two women were wearing politely neutral expressions. James just looked curious.

"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, this is my wife Ginny, our daughter Abagail and son James. Family, this is my Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, my cousin Dudley and his wife, Mary."

"Daughter?" Aunt Petunia asked with raised eyebrows.

"Technically Abagail is my legal ward, but she's our daughter in all ways but one."

Ginny cut in with,

"It's very nice to finally meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Welcome to our home."

Harry wasn't sure if his aunt and uncle picked up on the slight emphasis on the word 'finally'. He knew Abagail did from the slight shift in her expression.

"Please, everyone, sit down and make yourselves comfortable," Harry suggested.

The Dursleys sat on one side of the fireplace while the Potters sat on the other. To describe the ensuing silence as uncomfortable would be like suggesting an abscessed, impacted wisdom tooth was a little annoying. Harry couldn't help observe it for a few moments, for purely academic reasons, of course. Mary appeared a little puzzled, Dudley decidedly anxious. While Aunt Petunia was trying to look around the room without actually moving her heard. Uncle Vernon was keeping his eye on Harry.

"So, Uncle Vernon," Harry finally said, "it's pretty apparent you've lost the weight you told me you'd have to. How are you feeling?"

"Unfed, boy. I can't recall the last time I've had a decent meal. I haven't spent a full week at the factory since the attack, either. I honestly don't know what's more stressful. Being there and yelling at people all day or not being there and worrying about how much isn't getting done."

Harry could see Mary trying to hide a smile. Dudley was trying not to react at all.

"You were going to have to step down sooner or later, sir. Doesn't this give you a chance to see how your staff can handle things while you still have the opportunity to address any problems?"

Uncle Vernon barked out a short laugh.

"I can see you've never had to keep anyone toeing the line to make deadlines or meet quotas."

"I suppose not," Harry replied mildly, sensing the suppressed outrage from his wife. "Can I offer anyone some tea?"

"I'd love some, Harry," Mary responded. "But first I would really like to see the rest of the house."

"Certainly, anyone else?"

"Petunia, my dear, why don't you go with the children. I'm sure Harry's wife and daughter would love to show you around. I'll stay here with Harry and talk a bit," Uncle Vernon said.

"If you think so, Vernon. Come along, children," Petunia said as she stood.

Harry looked at Ginny and nodded. She and Abagail stood up, each taking one of James' hands.

"Please come this way," Ginny said and led the group out of the living room.

Uncle Vernon sat regarding Harry for a few moments before he leaned forward and said,

"I want you to understand that this isn't about some sort of reconciliation. Your aunt and I thought this magic business would bring nothing but trouble and we were pretty close to being right. I don't imagine there's any love lost on your side either. You're trying hard to be civil but I'd be a fool not to see it. Your wife would drill holes through us with her eyes if she could," he paused before continuing, "she can't can she?"

Harry shook his head.

"But it is what it is and I'll offer no apologies."

Harry looked at the older man and nodded once.

"I wouldn't think to ask for one and quite frankly, I wouldn't believe it if you made one," Harry said.

Vernon gave another barking laugh and said,

"If nothing else, you're nobody's fool."

"No, sir, I'm not. So if this isn't about reconciling, what is it about?"

"Simply this. Being this ill made me think. When his mother and I are gone, Dudley will have no one but his wife. I don't think that will be enough," Harry's uncle said, coughing a bit uncomfortably. "I would appreciate it if you could make the effort to maintain contact with him. I'm not sure why, but I think it will be important in the years to come."

Harry looked and his uncle more closely but he couldn't get a hint of what he was thinking.

"Alright, Uncle Vernon. I think I can do that.

Uncle Vernon nodded once and sat back, obviously satisfied with something.

"Do you want that cuppa now, sir?"

"I suppose so. It's about the only thing I enjoy that they still allow me."

"I'll get it for us," Harry offered as he stood up.

"I'll come along, boy. I'm bloody sick and tired of being waited on. Off you go."

Harry was glad his uncle couldn't see his face as he led the older man from the living room toward the kitchen. He figured if he was able to be that irascible he must be doing better.

When Ginny walked in at the head of the tour group she saw Harry and his uncle sitting across from each other sipping from tea cups.

"There you two are. Couldn't wait for us, could you?" she said with a small smile.

"Uncle Vernon looked like he really needed a cuppa," Harry said and was rewarded with a snort from across the table.

Ginny began pouring out cups and passing them around, letting each recipient add whatever they preferred. There was also a platter of biscuits. Uncle Vernon eyed the platter with undisguised longing, but he made no move toward it.

"I have to say, Harry," Mary began, "your house is truly wonderful. So elegant and yet warm and welcoming."

Harry saw Uncle Vernon cock an eyebrow at him but he let it pass and answered,

"Thank you, Mary, but the real credit goes to Ginny and Abagail. They designed nearly all of it."

"Really? They didn't mention that. I thought your library was quite impressive. That's quite a collection of books. So much philosophy and history. Is it related to your work as a teacher? Abagail suggested such."

Harry nodded. Kreacher had been able to cast an enchantment that suggested to muggle eyes that the books on magic were actually philosophy texts and the histories were muggle histories.

"Yes, I teach some philosophy, history and life management."

"Sound fascinating."

Aunt Petunia was looking very thoughtful and slightly puzzled.

"Are you alright, Aunt Petunia?"

"What? Oh yes. I'll grant you this," she continued, "it is a very fine house but I think you need to have the builders back in."

"Why is that, ma'am?" Harry asked.

"As we were walking about I thought I felt a draft on the back of my neck," she said.

"Faulty window casements, most likely," Uncle Vernon said.

"I don't think so, Vernon. These drafts felt warm."

While Uncle Vernon said something about central heating and unbalanced duct work, Harry looked at Abagail, who gave him a knowing smile and a brief wink. Harry smiled into his tea cup.


	28. Chapter 28

Professor Potter, Chapter 28

Harry sat in his favorite chair in the library, decompressing after the stressful afternoon visit of his aunt, uncle and cousin plus Dudley's new wife. The stress stemmed mostly from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Dudley said almost nothing and his wife, Mary, was actually a fairly pleasant person. Harry wondered what the story was there but no details on how they met were offered and he didn't ask. They left around five that afternoon and the Potters had a simple, and quiet, dinner. Ginny was soon off to bed, pleading fatigue and a slight headache. Harry was wondering if this pregnancy was going to be a difficult one. The evening was wearing on when Abagail appeared in the doorway, attracting Harry's attention by knocking on the doorframe.

"May I?"

"Of course, little one. Did you get James put to bed alright?" he asked.

"Yes, he was a little angel, as always," she replied.

"Hmm, I wonder how long that's going to last," Harry said with a small smile.

Abagail didn't return the smile. She stood looking at Harry with a somber expression. Then she slowly walked until she was standing in front of him as he sat. He looked up at her with his brilliant green eyes questioning. Hers began to fill a bit and she reached down to take his book and drop it on the chair nearby. Then she sat down on his lap and put her head alongside his, her face half buried in his shoulder.

"Whatever is the matter, little one?" he asked.

Whatever it was she said in response was unintelligible due to the soft, choking voice being muffled by his shoulder. He rubbed her back a bit and whispered a few soothing words. After a few minutes of this she shifted position so that her knees were drawn up and the side of her head rested on his shoulder. To Harry it was as if she was that frightened eleven year old once more.

"What's wrong, Abagail?"

"I had no idea, Harry. I thought I did but it was so much worse."

"What was worse?" he asked quietly.

"Your childhood, Harry. I thought from how I used to look at you I knew what your time with the Dursleys was like but…" she trailed off.

"But what?" he prodded.

"I looked at them, your aunt, your uncle, your cousin. I saw how they felt about you then, and now. Why they did what they did, the vile, vicious things. Good lord, Harry, how did you bear it?" she said, her voice brittle and bitter.

Now it might have occurred to someone else to tell Abagail that he really didn't want to talk about this painful time of his life, but not Harry. He new that Abagail was in real pain at the moment and needed to talk this through, so he took a deep breath, let it out slowly and said in a low tone,

"I don't know, little one. I suppose I didn't know any other way. Perhaps if I had been older when my parents died and I knew what it was like to be loved it would have been harder."

Abagail sat up a bit and looked at Harry, her cheeks and eyes wet. His eyes were dry but bleak.

"Do you have any idea how much your aunt despised you, Harry? Her only sister's only child and she could barely tolerate your being in her house. She hated the idea of magic so much she took it out on you, a helpless child. And she encouraged the others to treat you the same way."

"She never made any secret of how she felt about magic," Harry said. "I remember when she called my mother a freak that night when Hagrid came to the cabin on that tiny island."

"Then you can add hypocrite to her list of sins. She was so jealous of her sister being a witch. Did you know she wrote to Dumbledore to ask if she could go to school with her? She wanted to be special and be a witch, too," Abagail said, the anger tingeing her voice.

"Why are you telling me this, little one? Do you think I should do something?" Harry asked, watching her face.

"You mean in retribution? No, I know you never would. I'm not even sure why I looked at them, out of curiosity I suppose. But why am I telling you all this? It's so I can tell you something else. I have always thought you were a very special person. The way you took a sad, scared child into your care, your family and your heart. But the idea that you were able to develop such a generous and loving soul despite having been subjected to such a brutalizing upbringing is the most miraculous thing I think I'll ever encounter in my life," she said as she squeezed him tighter.

They stayed that way for a few moments and then Harry asked,

"Little one?"

"Yes?"

"What about Uncle Vernon and Dudley?"

She let out a sigh and said,

"I've probably said too much already but with your Uncle Vernon it was resentment because of how your aunt felt. He blames magic, and you, for creating such an unpleasant life for them all. As to Dudley, you were an easy target for his bullying ways. He didn't know about the magic until you did, of course, but he always saw you as a weird, scrawny kid that was ripe for a good thrashing. Now, it's mostly that he's terrified of you and he's pretty confused."

"How do you mean?" Harry asked.

"He knows that with all you've suffered from him you'd have every right to want to annihilate him, and the ability as well. What he can't understand is why you haven't. That's what's confusing him," she finished.

Harry took in another deep breath and let it out slowly. He gave her a squeeze and was about to say something when they both felt a warm comforting embrace. Then an image began to coalesce a few feet from the chair. It was Lily, and far more substantial than she had ever been before. She looked at them both with her loving green eyes.

"Don't dwell on what has been, my dears. That will only lead to great sadness. Be glad for the future you are building and the possibilities it holds. As your big sister Fleur has often said, son, follow your heart, it has never led you wrong," she finished with a smile.

Harry and Abagail sat in stunned amazement for a few moments while Lily looked at them with an amused smile and dancing eyes. Harry was the first to break the silence.

"Yes, Mum, I'll try," he said in a soft voice and then after a slight hesitation, asked, "Are you happy, Mum, like this, here?"

"Yes, Harry," Lily replied, "if it was not meant for us to be with you in life, I am happy to be with you here, and now, as we are. Rest well, my dears. We will talk again."

With a smile, the image faded away. After a few moments of silence Harry said,

"Well, that was something new. Is that how you always see her?"

"No, Harry. Anytime I've seen her, it's been a very faint image. Usually I just know she's here by the sense of her presence. That was amazing."

"But should it be?" he asked. "I mean we spent all those years with the likes of Nearly Headless Nick and the Bloody Baron and the rest. Why should it be so different with my mum, or the others?"

"But it is different, Harry. Aren't the Hogwarts ghosts there because they chose to be ghosts? Your mum didn't get to make that choice. Her only choice was to try and save her little boy. And she did, in a way she could never have imagined, I suppose," Abagail said breathlessly.

"Perhaps," he said thoughtfully. "After that, I think you and I should try and get some sleep, if we can. And thank you, little one, for caring enough about me to be so upset about all that. But like Mum said, don't waste too much time on it. Alright?" he said giving her a last hug.

"Alright, Harry. And like I've said before, you're the best."

"If you say so, but for now how about moving? If Ginny were to come in, I don't think I'd be able to explain why I have such a pretty girl on my lap."

Abagail's eyes popped, then she started to giggle as she slid off his lap, to stand in front of him. She grabbed his hand in both of hers and pulled him to his feet. They walked together to the bottom of the staircase and Harry said,

"Off you go, little one."

"Good night, Harry," she said and walked up to her room.

When she had gone Harry looked around and said quietly,

"Good night, Mum."

Despite the events of the day, Harry's sleep that night was long, deep and undisturbed. When he awoke he was feeling rested and at peace. He was just putting the finishing touches on his breakfast when Kreacher walked into the kitchen.

"Master Harry, Mr. Ron Weasley and Mrs. Hermione Weasley to see Master Harry and Mistress Ginny. Mistress Ginny is already with them in the living room."

"Thanks, Kreacher, I'll be right there," he said just before gulping down the last of his tea.

He got up and made his way to the living room. As he walked in he saw Ron and Hermione sitting side by side on one of the couches with Ginny sitting opposite, James perched on her lap. He was barely past the entryway when Abagail nearly bowled him over as she hurried in.

"I heard Ron and Hermione were here," she said with little volume but much excitement.

"You heard right, little one, I was just about to ask to what did we owe the pleasure of their company," Harry said with a grin.

"Oh," Hermione began nonchalantly, "we just thought we'd stop by and fill you in on a little news."

"And that would be?" he asked as he took a seat.

"Ron and I are expecting our first child," was all she managed to get out.

Now it should be mentioned at this point that neither Harry nor Ginny were wine drinkers. This was a good thing because if they had been, most likely they would have had a set of fine crystal wine glasses from which to drink it. Had they owned such a set it was doubtful that it would have survived the acoustic onslaught that followed the happy announcement. The screams formed a penetrating three part harmony with Ginny in the mid range and Abagail adding a high but surprisingly strong upper range. Hermione came in a fraction later with a good strong low range. There was also much hugging and an impromptu three way happy girl dance.

After the screaming subsided hugs were offered to Ron and there were also some handshakes from Harry for his best mate. Then the inevitable took place and the womenfolk huddled and the two men were left at loose ends to fend for themselves. Having already dispensed with the congratulatory handshakes and cuffs on the shoulder Harry asked,

"Fancy a game?"

"Sure, they'll be at it for hours, I'd wager," Ron replied.

So the two fathers-to-be walked unnoticed from the living room and were soon engrossed at the chessboard. They may have left unnoticed but they were missed after a time and Abagail went looking for them. She stood in the library door for a moment and then walked away. About a quarter of an hour later she returned towing Angus along beside her. Had anyone been watching they would have seen the gangly young man look at the board with a mix of longing and apprehension. Abagail was silently urging him on with facial expressions and head gestures. As usual, Harry's senses told him someone was nearby but out of his sight so he turned his head.

"Angus, Abagail. Excellent timing. Ron has my back against the wall. Come in and sit down. Angus can have a go," he said, and then he turned his head and said in a low voice, "You're in for it now, mate."

The look Ron gave him said, 'we'll just see about that, won't we'. With one hand in his and the other grasping his forearm, Abagail led Angus to a chair at the side of the small table and sat him down. His eyes flickered to the two players and then to the board. As he took in the positions his face lost all its unease and settled into a mask of concentration. After a moment, and a move by Ron, he looked at Harry and gave a slight shake of his head. Harry gave him a half smile and said,

"I know, but I never resign a game. My only source of satisfaction is that I make him fight to the end."

Angus just nodded. Three more moves and Harry was done. He laughed a bit as he took in the carnage. He and Ron had an equal, albeit small, number of remaining pieces but obviously Ron had the superior position. Harry pushed back his chair and gestured to Angus.

"He's all yours, if you'd care to have a go."

"Oh, aye," Angus replied, then added, "Ye play well, Professor."

"Thanks, but now let's see what you can do with him," Harry replied as the two switched places.

The pieces were positioned and the game begun. What ensued was fascinating for anyone with a knowledge of the game. As those who have observed Angus playing previously have noted, it appeared as if he had played the entire game in his head, going through all the alternative moves and counter moves. On the other hand, Ron would appear to play according to Angus' plan and then a trap would be sprung, a move so unanticipated it would force the younger man to recalculate and re-evaluate his game plan. To make it even more interesting when such a move would occur Ron's piece would say something to the effect of 'didn't see that one comin' now did ya, ya blighter'. At one point Ginny and Hermione came looking for their husbands but once they saw what was going on they left them alone and went off to talk about nurseries and other motherly interests. It was somewhat past the fourth hour when Ron looked across at his opponent with raised eyebrows. Angus nodded once and they both sat back.

"What?" Harry asked, "A draw?"

"Yeah," said Ron quietly.

"But you still have moves to make," Abagail protested.

"Oh, aye, mebbe four," Angus conceded.

"Yeah, I'd figure four and then it's a hopeless situation for us both," Ron added.

"Well," Harry said sitting back, blowing out a breath. "That was one for the books. Little one, we are in the presence of genius."

"I think you're right, Harry," she replied.

Ron laughed and Angus dipped his head a bit but Harry could see the smile as well. Then Angus looked up and said,

"Need tae geet back tae work."

"Just for a while longer, Angus. We don't want you going that way again, understand?" Harry warned.

"Aye, Professor," Angus replied as he stood up.

Ron stood as well, offering Angus his hand.

"Well played, we'll have to do this again."

Angus simply nodded once more and began moving to the door. Abagail got up to follow. Harry also rose and gestured to the girl. When she was close he said,

"Tomorrow morning around eleven, I want you to go down and pull Angus out of the basement and take him to Diagon Alley for a walk around and then to the Cauldron for lunch. He looks like he could use some fresh air and feeding up."

As he finished he pulled a handful of sickles from his pocket and pressed them into her hand. She slipped them into her own pocket and then gave Harry a hug.

"You're the best," she said quietly and then hurried off to catch Angus up.

"Pretty amazing," Ron commented. "I'd like to think that I could say without the baby and all, I could have concentrated enough to beat him but I have my doubts. And did you see his face? It never changed expression, just total concentration."

"You should look in the mirror some time when you're playing, mate, not much difference."

Ron just shrugged. Harry suggested they sit down in more comfortable chairs.

"So how is this going to affect your living conditions? Living space I mean?" Harry asked.

"Well, we've been thinking about that for a while now. Our landlady is getting older and lives alone. She uses the bottom two floors and we have the third. We're going to buy the house and take the second floor and she'll rent the ground floor. I take care of the place as it is so…" he let it hang.

"Sounds like a great plan," Harry replied. "I'm glad you're staying close."

"What else could we do? The chess pieces would never forgive me if I moved too far away."

The weeks that followed offered nothing of great importance compared to the visit by the Dursleys and the announcement of Ron and Hermione's expected first born. Harry's students were working hard to put meat on the skeletons of their projects. The trio that nearly blew themselves up towards the end of the first semester had made up the lost time and were making good progress. They were getting support from Neville as well as the staff at St. Mungo's. It appeared that more than a few witches and wizards had ideas about similar investigations but hadn't been able to get anything moving. Harry's role as a catalyst was bearing fruit yet again.

The study team continued to dig through the writings of Merlin searching for clues to his codes and any nuggets he may have left more or less in plain sight to keep them at their work. Harry did have an interesting discussion with Anton DuBonais one evening. Harry was at his usual spot when the tall first year approached.

"Good evening, Mr. DuBonais. How are you getting on?"

"I'm doin' jist fine, fo' sho', t'ank ya fo' askin', suh."

"How is your mother doing? Is she finding anything interesting?"

"Funny ya' should ask dat, suh. It's why I was hopin' ta speak wit' ya dis evenin""

"Certainly, please, sit down," Harry said gesturing towards the spot across from him.

"T'ank ya, suh."

"So, what is it you wanted to know?"

"Well, suh, my mama has been readin' lots of books and such, but dere's still t'ings she needs some help undahstandin', jist like hea' at de school, know what I mean?" the boy said.

"Yes, I can understand that. Quite often I come across things in books that aren't very clear to me. She's certainly welcome to come up here and talk with us," Harry said.

"Dat's very kind o' ya' ta offah, suh. But I t'ink she'd rathuh be close ta home, if'n ya git mah meanin'."

"Yes, I do. Hmm, let me think. I guess she'd prefer someone like a tutor," he said and then smiled. "I think I might be able to suggest someone. I'll check when I get home tomorrow evening and let you know. Then you can send your mum a message by owl."

"Dat would be t'rrific, suh. I'm much obliged. Mama says she nevah knew de world of magic was so much bigguh den de bayou," Anton replied.

Harry was as good as his word and the day after next he informed Anton that he could let his mother know that there was someone willing and eager to help, Abagail Westwood.

"Oh, I hea' tell about huh, suh. She supposedly beau coup smart and pretty mysterious," the boy said.

"Mysterious?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yes, suh. I heard stories about huh knowin' t'ings before anyone else and den dere's dat dragon business."

"Ah, yes. I'm aware of the dragon business. But I do think she and your mum will get on well. Let me know what she thinks. They can meet at the Cauldron if she'd like," Harry concluded.

"T'ank ya agin, suh. We appreciate all ya help."

"It's my pleasure, Mr. DuBonais."

Another piece of business Harry had to attend to during this period was the final selection of two fifth years who would be the first exchange students to attend Beauxbaton next year. A dozen or so students had applied and the selection process had been ongoing for several months. The applicants had to write essays as to why they wanted the opportunity and what did they hope to gain from it. They needed to demonstrate an ability to speak, read and write French at a working level. They could have no serious disciplinary issues on their records. Each student was also required to have a personal interview with Harry as the head of the selection committee.

It was apparent to him that one candidate was a given. He was a Ravenclaw wizard at the top of his class who had excellent command of French, having lived in the country while his muggle engineer father worked on the CERN Large Hadron Collider project. It was his hope to obtain a position with the international office at the Ministry after he graduated.

The other spot was more problematic. As far as Harry could see it was a three way tie between a Gryffindor witch, a Ravenclaw witch and a Slytherin wizard. This presented Harry with some definite conflicts. House loyalty pushed him towards the Gryffindor, but that might open her up to criticism for being the recipient of favoritism. The Slytherin would make a good choice based solely on his own merits but Harry was a little gun shy considering the reputation of that house. As to the third he was reluctant to give both prized positions to just one house.

He had discussed this with the other members of the committee but they were just as divided. Harry struggled with the issue for several days. Then out of nowhere an idea occurred to him and he sent off two messages by owl. The following week Harry had the three finalists sitting on the other side of the Gryffindor table.

"You three have presented the committee, and me, with a real dilemma. Based on your individual qualifications you're dead even. And I don't want to make a choice simply founded on house affiliation. So I've enlisted the assistance of a pair of experts where Beauxbaton is concerned. They are up in my office and will meet with you individually. They will conduct an interview and give me a recommendation. I have no idea how they will arrive at their conclusion, but I trust they will be thorough and fair. Miss Hopkins, you're up first. Off you go."

The Gryffindor witch popped up and hurried out of the Great Hall. Three quarters of an hour or so later, she returned and Harry sent off the Slytherin wizard. Miss Hopkins sat down, her expression intent and a little confused. It appeared she was going to say something but Harry forestalled her with a raised hand.

"Everyone starts from the same place. We can talk in a bit."

"Yes, sir," she replied.

When the wizard returned, the last of the three was dispatched. Harry looked at the other two and asked,

"So, what did you think?"

"Um, it was a little strange, sir," Hopkins said.

"How so?"

"It was more like a conversation than an interview. We just sat and talked about different things. Only about fifteen minutes or so had anything to do with Beauxbaton directly."

"Same with you?" Harry asked the Slytherin.

"Pretty much, sir. It took me a couple of minutes to gather my thoughts. Mrs. Weasley and Miss Delacour are pretty, um, distracting," the Slytherin wizard said with a sheepish grin.

Miss Hopkins rolled her eyes a bit but said nothing. She didn't need to as Harry read her expression as 'boys' with a heavy dose of exasperation.

"Think of it this way. We've already established that all three of you have the abilities to perform well. What Mrs. Weasley and Miss Delacour are trying to discern is who would be the best fit based on their knowledge and experience at the school. I'm sure the things they are interested in wouldn't be what you would normally expect to be asked in an interview."

"I guess that makes sense, sir," Hopkins replied.

After the Ravenclaw witch returned Harry dismissed the three candidates and then went to his office. When he went in he found the two sisters with their heads close together, talking quietly. They both looked up as he approached the desk.

"'allo, 'arry," Fleur said.

"Well, ladies, what do you think?" Harry asked as he sat down.

"They are all quite nice young people, 'arry. But we both agree that the young witch from Gryffindor would be the best choice," Fleur replied.

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Harry asked.

"She showed greater enthusiasm, 'arry. Gabi and I both saw eet."

"The others didn't seem that interested?" Harry asked.

"No, no, 'arry. They were most interested, but they saw eet as an opportunity to learn," Gabrielle offered. "The Gryffindor sees eet as a chance to leeve a different life, to explore a whole new, um, 'ow you say, experience, eef only for a leetle while."

Harry regarded his two 'sisters' with a quizzical look on his face. Fleur gave Harry one of her silvery laughs and said,

"Do not look so confused, mon frère. Trust us when we say that your Mees 'opkins weell be the best choice to send to Beauxbaton. You do trust us, don't you, 'arry?"

"With my life," Harry said with a small smile.

"Seelly boy," Fleur replied, her smile broader and brighter.

Harry thanked them both and then walked with them to the gate. Winter was nearly done but there was still snow on the ground and the snow sculptures were hanging on by their icy fingernails. The hugs that were exchanged were much warmer and he watched as the two beauties Disapparated. He walked back up to the school thinking about what the sisters had said. The more he thought about it the more sense it made to him. His coming to Hogwarts all those years ago had not just been about coming to a school. In many ways it was the beginning of a life for him and the finding of a home. Someone who wanted to live at Beauxbaton would be a better choice than someone who simply wanted to attend.

The next morning, Harry had each candidate come to his office so he could tell them in person what the results were. Miss Hopkins was ecstatic, of course. She thanked Harry profusely, promising to do her very best and make Hogwarts proud. The other two were obviously disappointed but gave the impression at least that they felt they had been given every chance and they were willing to abide by the decision. He then went to inform Professor McGonagall of the choice and how it had been worked out.

"An interesting solution, Professor," the Headmistress said. "I would not have thought to bring the Delacour sisters into the process. I must admit they took an interesting view of the problem and arrived at a unique solution. Well done them, and you, Harry. Thank you."

"You're welcome, ma'am. Now I'm interested to see who they'll be sending to us."

"I received a message from Madame Maxime that the selection process is nearly done and we should have names and information within a few weeks," the Headmistress said.

Harry left the Heads office shortly after and got back to the business of teaching. His seventh year Applied Magic students were coming to him with a number of questions as they were approaching the deadline for their projects. Since his initial interview with the three Ravenclaws there had been two more follow up sessions. It appeared to Harry that they were starting to get a grasp on the more emotional side of his adventures and the discussions on motivation led to speculations about what drove his adversaries to do the things they did as well. As is often the case, this led to more questions than were answered.

Harry was sitting in the kitchen at Meadow Crest on the last Saturday before winter gave way to spring, at least as far as the calendar was concerned. As far as the weather cared, it was business as usual. A strong wind was blowing loose snow from a storm two days earlier into drifts against the house. He was enjoying a second cup of tea when Abagail strolled in and stopped at his side, giving him a 'good morning' hug around the shoulders.

"Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, little one. How are you doing this morning?" he replied.

"Just fine, but I'm dying for some tea," she said as she sat down opposite him.

"Help yourself, the pot is nearly full."

He watched her as she poured out and then helped herself to a piece of toast that was still on the platter. She looked at it, then at Harry.

"Leaving food, Harry? Are you not feeling well," she said with all innocence.

Harry gave her a look and then smiled a bit as she laughed. Then his face got more serious.

"So, how are you and Mrs. DuBonais getting on?"

"Very well, Harry. We've met three times so far and it's been very interesting. That is one smart lady. What's really interesting is that she just doesn't want to know something, she wants to understand it. That's were a lot of the books she was reading let her down. They just supplied facts without going into what made them facts. If the book said use a certain spell or potion or ingredient, she wants to know why you use it and what makes it work. I can't imagine what she might have been like if she had had the chance to go to a real wizarding school."

"I'm not surprised, really," Harry said. "During that short visit with us at the school she impressed everybody she talked to. And her son is pretty sharp himself."

"I have to admit I found her a bit intimidating at first. The way she speaks, and carries herself. She can also get very intense when we get into discussions. During that first session I got a little concerned about what her reasons were for wanting to know all these things. So I took a little look at her."

Harry regarded her silently, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"I know, but after all the things you've told me about the different people you've come across and the things I've seen myself I had to be sure I wasn't helping someone that would come back to haunt us later."

"And?"

"It was like looking into a deep well that she wants to fill up. From what I can gather she grew up knowing both her mother and grandmother were folk medicine makers. She heard about other women in her family background that were as well. But she always wanted to know why this or that worked as a medicine, not just that it did. Most of the time she got 'it just is' as an answer and it didn't satisfy her. She also knew she was different in how she got her medicines to work. Some of this she told me herself but it appears that her magic allows her to clearly see what is causing someone's sickness and what would work to cure it, if it could be cured. She hates the idea that she can see that someone is sick and knowing that there is nothing that can help. I think that's another reason she wants to know as much as she can."

Harry sat back in his chair and thought for a few moments. Then he said,

"I'd imagine if she had gone to a place like Hogwarts she'd have wound up as a very gifted healer."

"Most likely. She looks at sickness like you do the dark arts, Harry. It's her enemy, a war to be fought and won. You might want to consider using your contacts like Neville and those people at St. Mungo's and find her some allies," Abagail said softly.


	29. Chapter 29

Professor Potter, Chapter 29

Harry sat in his comfortable chair in the library reading. He felt that little tingle that suggested someone was nearby and he turned to find Ginny just walking through the doorway with James on her hip. Despite the boy being nearly two years old he still spent a considerable amount of time being carried around by his mother. Ginny smiled at her husband as she approached his chair. When she saw the small, battered, much dog eared book he was holding she said,

"Goodness, Harry, I hope you didn't pay much for that one."

Harry laughed and held it up, saying,

"It was loaned to me by a student. It's muggle fiction. It involves witches and wizards living on a flat round world that rests on the backs of four impossibly large elephants who in turn stand on the back of an even bigger sea turtle that swims through space. It's very clever and pretty hilarious."

"It sounds very odd, but I'm glad to see you enjoying something other than all those serious tomes and dusty old books," she said. "Would you do me a favor, sweetheart? Abagail is spending the afternoon with Angus and I could really do with a nap. Could you watch James for a while?"

"I'd be happy to," he said, looking at her closely. "Are you sure you are alright? I don't recall you being so tired with James."

"Well, Harry, when I was pregnant with James I wasn't taking care of a pretty active toddler at the same time," she replied.

"Ahh, yes. The answer was right there in front of me and I didn't see it. No wonder we fathers are thought to be so dense," he said with a rueful grin.

Ginny swung James down to Harry's lap and said,

"You're not dense, you just have lots of other things that fight for your attention. I should only be two or three hours."

"Take all the time you need, love. We'll be just fine, won't we, James?"

"'s, da," the boy replied.

Ginny smiled and kissed each of her 'boys' on the forehead and then left for her nap. Harry looked at James, perched on his lap and asked,

"So, my boy, what would you like to do first?"

"Story, da," James replied.

"It thought it might be something like that," Harry said with a wink and lifting James up he got up and walked to a shelf and took down a copy of 'Tales of Beedle the Bard'. This particular book, of course, was a mainstay of any magically born child's upbringing. Every Weasley child had learned to read using 'Beedle the Bard'. That particular copy rested on the bookcase by the mantle at the Burrow, literally held together with Spell-o-tape. The one Harry took down off the shelf was given to James on his first birthday. Harry had never seen the book before that, for obvious reasons, and he enjoyed discovering the time honored tales every bit as much as James. They had already gone through it twice. Harry carried the book and his son back to the chair and sat down. He arranged the boy into a comfortable spot and asked,

"Which one?"

"Babbity," James replied.

"Alright, 'Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump' it is."

Harry read through the story with James eyes intent on the printed words and pictures. When Harry had finished he was about to ask if James wanted to hear another but he saw the boy looking intently at the doorway. Then he looked up at his father and said,

"'nuffles," and proceeded to wiggle down off of Harry's lap.

Harry had noticed on several occasions recently that James was able to tell that Snuffles was nearby. Perhaps it was similar to his own ability to sense people unseen. He watched in quiet amusement as his son got down on the floor and began to crawl to the doorway. It was not the crawl of a child who couldn't walk, but of someone who was trying to move stealthily. Apparently Snuffles has a similar idea because as soon as James slipped his head past the door frame he recoiled, shrieking as a big pink tongue ran up the middle of his face.

And the fight was on. The boy no longer just let the big dog lick him until he was rescued. He would fight back as best he could, often ending up with a handful of droopy, slobbery jowl or a big floppy ear. Snuffles in turn was very tolerate and just made use of the simple expedient of planting a large forepaw on the middle of James' chest while he licked relentlessly. Snuffles had also come to learn that if Harry said 'Snuffles' with a slight emphasis on the end of his name it was time to back off. Harry did so now and the big Mastiff looked up at him and then stepped back allowing James to haul himself to his feet. The boy rubbed his face with his sleeve and said,

"'nuffles, silly dog," and then kicked off his slippers, grabbed the dog's collar and loudly said, "Go."

The dog trotted off down the hall with James sliding alongside. Harry walked to the doorway and watched as James and Snuffles traveled up and down the corridor. As he watched a thought occurred to him. He knew that with Angus out with Abagail, there was no one in the basement to disturb so he herded James and Snuffles down and into the area that wasn't occupied with the desks and tables of the study group. They had a very enjoyable time playing various games of fetch and tug-of-war. After an hour or so it was obvious the boy and dog were rapidly tiring. Harry called a halt to the games and carried James upstairs followed slowly by Snuffles.

When Ginny woke up from her nap she made her way to the library. She found Snuffles sprawled in the hallway outside the door. Carefully stepping over the sleeping beast, she entered the library and saw Harry stretched out on the sofa with James cradled in his arms on his chest. There was a good firing going and the room was warm and comfortable. She left her boys alone and went over to the desk to do some work on her journal. Occasionally she would look over her shoulder and smile.

An hour or so before dinner she gently woke them. She picked up James so Harry could sit up. She looked at them both and said,

"So, did you two have fun this afternoon?"

"'s, mum. Da's lots o' fun," James replied.

"Yes, I know. I've always thought so," Ginny replied, giving Harry a wink over the top of her son's head.

Later that night as Ginny and Harry were getting ready for bed, she looked at Harry and said,

"Harry, I need you to do something for me."

"Of course, love, what is it?" he replied.

"I need you to spend more time with James like you did today. Now that he's a little older he needs to play like that more."

"Sure, Gin, it was a lot of fun. Maybe we should set aside some of the basement and turn it into a big playroom," Harry said, and then looked thoughtful.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I was just thinking that maybe we picked a bit of an isolated spot for the house. Playmates for James are going to be hard to come by."

Ginny laughed a bit, laying a hand on her swollen stomach, and saying,

"I think we can count on at least one."

Harry laughed, shaking his head as they climbed into bed and Ginny used her wand to put out the lights.

"Daddyyyyy, where are youuuu?"

Harry bolted upright and scrambled for his glasses. He threw back the covers and hopped out of bed. Hurrying out of the bedroom he was down the hall and at the nursery door in a moment. When he went inside he saw James sound asleep and Snuffles sprawled on the floor snoring softly. He looked around the room to see if anything appeared out of place but nothing looked out of the ordinary.

Sleepy and a little confused, he shuffled back to his room and climbed back into bed. Ginny stirred a bit but didn't wake up. He lay on his back staring up at the ceiling trying to recall any details of the voice that woke him up. As he thought about it he felt, but couldn't be sure, that it might not have been James' voice after all. For one thing, he never called his father 'daddy' only 'da'. It also sounded older, he thought. He sighed, hoping this was just a fragment of a dream he couldn't recall and not some portent of troubles to come. He'd talk to Abagail in the morning and see if she could uncover anything. It was sometime before he drifted off to sleep.

The following morning brought no new insights despite Abigail's best efforts.

"I'm sorry, Harry. All I can see is you waking up and going to look in on James. I can't hear anything and I don't pick up on any dreams, although that's never been something I could do very well."

"Alright, little one. Thank you for trying," he replied.

Ginny said nothing while she sat watching the two try to work out what Harry had experienced the night before but her concerned expression spoke volumes. Later that morning they received an unexpected visit. Milligan was announced by Kreacher while Harry and Ginny were sitting in the library.

"Would you like some privacy, Harry?" Ginny asked from the desk.

"No, that's alright, love. I don't suppose we'll be discussing any Ministry secrets," he replied with a small smile.

When Milligan walked in Harry waved him over to a chair by his. As the Deputy Chief walked towards Harry he said,

"Good Morning, Chief, ma'am. Sorry for the intrusion but I thought you needed to hear this."

"No worries, Milligan. Please sit down. What's going on?" Harry said.

"I received a message late yesterday from my friends on the continent. Our animagi spies have been keeping an eye on things at Durmstrang, from a distance, and they've reported some odd activities. Strange lights and sounds, more animals roaming the grounds and sometimes wandering into the surrounding areas. There's even been some noise coming out of the nearest muggle communities about odd occurrences."

Harry frowned a bit and said,

"Maybe they need a reminder they're being watched. It's been awhile, they may be thinking we've forgotten about them."

"Delivered personally, I'd imagine," Milligan deadpanned.

"In one manner or another," Harry replied.

Milligan just gave him a look that said, 'whatever you say, boss'.

"So what else is going on? Ron and I tend not to talk shop when we're together."

"Just the standard stuff. Some disturbances on Saturday nights in Hogsmeade, some petty theft here and there. Knockturn Alley seems to be slowly dying. Those five shops we closed down as part of that smuggling mess are still shuttered and every now and then another one goes out of business. Between the Patrollers and the overall downward trend in dark arts related incidents, they don't seem to be able to support themselves."

"Probably relocating somewhere that's not so visible," Harry replied.

"There's a good chance of that, but that's ok, too. Spreads them out and makes it more difficult to do business with each other," Milligan offered.

"I suppose so. Anything else? How's recruiting and retention coming along?"

"Doing pretty well there. We've been getting quite a few applications. Two retirements so far this year. Young Weasley's chess partner finally packed it in. And we had a bit of a problem with the tactical squad. One of yours, Katie Bell, got pretty banged up during a training exercise a couple of weeks ago."

This got both Harry and Ginny's attention.

"What happened?" Ginny demanded at the same time Harry said,

"How come no one told us?"

"Well, Chief, officially you're not the chief anymore. Unofficially, she begged us not to say anything. St. Mungo's had her sorted out in a day or so. Apparently it was all pretty embarrassing for her. Put a foot wrong, so to speak, and got in the way of a stupefy spell. Then she went backward over a low wall and down an embankment. A lot of cuts, bruises and a broken arm."

"Oh, my goodness," Ginny said in alarm.

"Like I said, she's fine now but don't let on I told you, should you see her. It's like she feels she's let you down somehow," Milligan said to Harry.

"That's ridiculous," he replied.

"To you, perhaps," was all Milligan said. "Well, Chief, I think I've worn out my welcome for the day. I'll let you know if I hear anything more."

"Please do. And thanks for all the information," Harry said as he stood up and shook hands with the Deputy Chief.

Harry walked Milligan to the front door and after seeing him off returned to the library.

"So, my dear, what do you have in mind?" Ginny asked.

"What makes you think I have something in mind?" Harry asked.

"Your face, sweetheart. From the moment you heard that something is going on up there your face got very serious," she said.

"Well, I did tell them that I'd be keeping an eye on them. But I haven't really paid the situation much attention," he said thoughtfully.

"It's not like you haven't had more than a few things on your mind these days, Harry."

"That may be, but this is one thing I can take care of and relatively quickly. I can leave close to sundown and be back by midnight. Are you okay with that?" he asked.

"I'm never 'ok' when you have to go off and do these things. But I can accept it. Just please be careful."

"I will. My big friend will keep me out of trouble," Harry said with a small grin. "I should probably have something to eat and take a nap if I can."

"Sounds sensible. I'll make sure you're awake on time."

"Thank you," Harry said, walking over to her and giving her a kiss before heading for the kitchen.

Perhaps a quarter of an hour after Harry went to eat and rest, Abagail came into the library. She was smiling a bit and her step was light.

"Hiya, Gin, where's Harry?"

"He got some disturbing news about Durmstrang so he's going to take a trip up there later today. He's having some lunch and then he'll try to get some sleep," Ginny said.

"That shouldn't be too difficult," Abagail began. "He'll fly around for a while, make some noise and light up the night sky a bit."

"I just hope no one does anything foolish," Ginny said, sounding slightly worried.

"You don't think they would or could do anything to hurt him when he is his other self, do you?" Abagail asked.

"It's not as if he's indestructible, sweetheart. But I'm more concerned about him being forced to do something in self defense. You know how that sort of thing can affect him."

Abagail merely nodded.

"Now, if I may be allowed to change the subject," Ginny continued, "you seemed to be in a very good mood when you walked in here. May I be allowed to know the reason why?"

"Oh, I suppose you may," Abagail replied with a cheeky little grin. "Things seem to be going well for me at the moment," she said as she sat down on the couch, pulling her legs up in a complicated knot beneath her. "My work for the publishers is going very well. They've lined up two more books for me to illustrate. Working with Mrs. DuBonais is proving to be really interesting and I have a new idea for a painting project, but I don't want to say anything about it yet. I'd like it to be a surprise."

"Hmm, that all does sound like reasons to be happy. Is that all of it, though?" Ginny asked, her eyebrows raised.

"If you must know," the girl began, her cheeks getting a bit pink, "Angus has been opening up to me more. He'll even start a conversation every now and again."

"My, that does sound promising, if I do say so," Ginny said with a smile. "Is there anything about him you'd care to share?"

"Hmm, there is one very interesting bit that has to do with his family. And I think it might have something to do with why he's so quiet. Did you know that there was another Angus MacAskill from almost two hundred years ago? And he was very famous in his day, too."

"No, I can't say I do. Was he magically famous or as a muggle?"

"A muggle. While magic does run in the family, there are usually only a handful in each generation. No, this Angus was a giant of a man and incredibly strong. Supposedly he was almost eight feet tall and weighed around thirty stone."

"My goodness, are they sure he wasn't part giant or something?" Ginny asked.

"Angus, our Angus that is, assured me that his distant relative was entirely human. One story about him says he went to sea for a time and while in port in America somewhere, some sailors from another ship dared him to pick up an anchor that was on the dock. And he did it, carried it right down to the end. Supposedly it weighed over two thousand pounds."

Ginny looked very skeptical. She said,

"I'm sure that your Angus is telling the story as he knows it, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that tale grew in the telling. But how does a huge strongman from two centuries ago have anything to do with our young fellow being so reserved?"

"It seems that when Angus was born he was quite a large baby, nearly thirteen pounds. Apparently someone commented that another MacAskill giant had been born so they named him Angus. For a while they thought they were right. He grew fairly quickly as a toddler and child. He was as tall as he is now by the time he was twelve. But he didn't show any signs of unusual strength or any athletic ability whatsoever. For him it was all about maths and puzzles and patterns. And chess, of course. Then the magic started to show. It made him very self conscious and withdrawn."

"The poor fellow. Did he say how his family reacted to it?" Ginny asked.

"Not very well it would seem. Even though they knew magic showed up in the family as a whole, it wasn't particularly welcomed. To make matters worse, his mother is something of an old school religious zealot and very superstitious to boot. She tried all kinds of nonsense to 'drive out the devil' as she would say. Finally, his paternal grandmother had to intervene when he was about ten. He went to live with her until his letter from Hogwarts arrived. He hasn't been home since."

"Oh dear," Ginny began. "I assumed there was some manner of problem at home, but that sounds terrible. Reminds me of Harry's life at, well, I won't call it home, but with them," Ginny said darkly.

"The real pity is that he got on fairly well with his father. That's who taught him the basics of chess. But with other children involved, Angus is the oldest of four, two sisters and a baby brother, they can't have much contact," Abagail replied.

"You know," Ginny said, "It's when I hear stories like this, I think about how lucky I am to have grown up in such a great family."

"You didn't grow up in a great family, Ginny, it's a phenomenal family. And I know what you mean about feeling lucky."

"Do you think Angus would feel uncomfortable if we invited him to have lunch or dinner with us now and again," Ginny asked.

"I don't think he'd mind," Abagail said after a moment's thought, "as long as there was no fuss."

Ginny smiled a bit and nodded. Late in the afternoon Harry found his family in the living room, Ginny reading and Abagail and James playing some sort of game, the nature of which seemed apparent only to them. Harry was dressed in his heavy cloak, jeans and hiking boots.

"I guess I should get started. I'd think I should be home no later than midnight," he said as he walked over to Ginny to give her a hug and a kiss, which he also gave to James and Abagail.

"Please be careful, Harry," Ginny said.

"I plan on it. No confrontations this time. Just some noise to let them know they are being watched."

With a last smile and wave he left the library. It was his plan to Disapparate in steps using landmarks that his previous trips had provided. He'd use the same hollow in the hills near the school to make the change to the dragon. Due to the leisurely pace that he set and the time difference it was quite dark by the time he appeared in the hills near the school. He directed his thoughts inward and within two heartbeats he was viewing the seemingly much closer slopes of the hollow from a much higher perspective. With a leap and a sweep he was airborne.

As he gained altitude he began to examine the grounds surrounding the castle as well as the immediate area just outside the boundaries. This far north there was still snow on the ground and Harry could see come four legged creatures slinking about near the trees. As he circled above, the creatures must have sensed him as they froze in place for a moment and then began to scan the area around them and above. It wasn't long before they darted for the cover of the trees.

Harry began to circle lower and he could sense, but not see, that other creatures lurked in various places around the grounds. From the building he saw some of the lights that Milligan had spoken about. Flashes of bright colors mixed with strange pulsing glows. The dragon scoffed. If they wanted lights, he'd give them some light. He tucked into a dive and as he passed over the castle he let out with a bright white plume. The blast lit up the entire building, drowning out any of the multi-colored, eldritch lights from within. He made several more passes punctuated with roars and plumes of plasma blasts. He paused during the last pass to hover above the courtyard. He let loose a blast aimed at the flagstone paving. He wanted to leave an enduring reminder of his visit. In the morning, those few who ventured outside would find a huge chrysanthemum shape of blackened stone flags, a number of which had cracked from the heat.

As a last measure, Harry landed outside the front arch, roaring and flaming. He cast about but any creature with an ounce of survival instinct was moving in the most convenient direction that took them away from the dragon. This meant that the only creature moving towards Harry was the giant that had taken up residence on the grounds. He burst out of the trees to Harry's right and from the rear. Harry glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the giant crashing out from under the trees and could now see him lumbering across the open ground, his club held high.

To Harry the giant appeared to be about eighteen feet tall, with a face that made Hagrid's half brother Grawp look like a movie star. Harry kept his eye on his attacker and at precisely the right moment he lashed out with his tail and caught the giant a stunning blow to the side, which sent him tumbling over and over for a distance of several dozen yards before coming to a stop in a heap. The only movement from it was some feeble twitches.

Harry directed his attention back to the castle. There wasn't a light to be seen or a sound to be heard. He was fairly certain that some statement had been made; he only hoped it was the one he wanted. Thinking he had done all he could for the time being he lifted off again and made his way back to the hollow. He had considered just staying dragon and making the flight home, but he knew time was getting short and he'd have to go the roundabout way over open water to avoid being seen. He landed and thought of himself and within two heartbeats he was back to being Harry.

As he was preparing to Disapparate a large rock whizzed past his head, landing with a thump some yards away. He spun around with his wand out without even thinking. Behind him, perhaps thirty or so yards away, was a large and menacing mountain troll, a club in one hand and the other grasping for another large rock. He shouted 'stupefy' and the troll went down with a thump, its club rolling out of its hand. Harry walked over and with a minimal application of 'incendio draco' burned the club to ashes. He stepped back and Disapparated. After several more hops he arrived at the front portico of the Meadows, to be welcomed by Kreacher.

Kreacher wasn't the only one to be waiting for him, however. As he walked into the foyer two female figures hurried out of the living room and rushed towards him. He wrapped an arm around each one and he got four arms around himself. He felt he definitely had the better of the deal.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad to see you home and safe. Did everything go alright?" Ginny asked from the vicinity of his chest.

"More or less," he replied. "I flew around and made a lot of noise and gave them a light show. I left them a little reminder in the front courtyard as well. I did have a tousle with giant and a mountain troll thought."

Both Ginny and Abagail looked up at him with wide eyes.

"What do you mean, a giant and a mountain troll?" Ginny demanded.

He started to lead them back to the living room, and arm around each shoulder, as he wanted to sit down. He could hear someone clinking china in the kitchen so he assumed a snack was on the way. As they walked he continued to explain.

"I landed in front of the school so they could see what was making all the noise. While I was doing that the giant that we had been told about before came blundering out of some woods. He came at me from behind. I'm not sure what he was thinking but he had his big club held up high and he was headed straight for me so I gave him a swipe with my tail and sent him rolling."

"How big was he, Harry?" Abagail asked in fascination.

"I figure maybe around eighteen feet," Harry replied.

At this point Nibs walked in with a tray that had some cheese, biscuits and a teapot and three cups and saucers. He placed it on the table by the three and then bowed his withdrawal. Harry sighed. No matter how often he talked about it he just couldn't get the little elf to stop the bowing. With a little shake of his head he reached for the pot but Ginny beat him to it.

"You've had a long night, sweetheart, let me."

She poured his tea and fixed it the way he liked, while Abagail made up a little plate for him. He smiled and accepted them gratefully and after a sip and a nibble he went back to his narrative.

"Anyway, it didn't look like he'd be getting up anytime soon and the school had gotten dark and quiet so I thought it was time to leave. I flew back to the spot I found and made the change back. Just as I was about to Disapparate out of there a rock went zipping past my head."

This last bit caused a pair of gasps.

"That was the mountain troll. I'm not sure why the dragon didn't pick up on it, maybe I was too distracted but I stupefied it and then burned up its club. Petty I suppose but that rock wouldn't have done my skull much good," he said and then yawned.

"Ah hah, that's enough for tonight, mighty hero. You're off to bed, come along," Ginny said as she stood up, took one hand while Abagail grabbed the other and they hauled Harry to his feet.

Each hooked an arm around one of his and walked him out of the living room and down the hallway to the master bedroom. Abagail wished them both good night and then made her way to her own room. Her face was thoughtful and when she got upstairs she went into her workroom and sat at her drawing table and began a series of sketches. It would be close to dawn before she went to bed herself.


	30. Chapter 30

Professor Potter, Chapter 30

It was the first week of May and Harry's seventh year Applied Magic students were scheduled to turn in the results of the projects they had been working on all term. Each project was to be handed in as a formal document but they also needed to give a short presentation to a joint session of both sections of the class. As requested, Bill Weasley was to be in attendance. Professor McGonagall had also expressed an interest in attending. Harry had decided to make use of the Room of Requirements and when he walked in early to make sure all was in readiness, he found a familiar, if empty, picture frame on the wall.

As class time approached, students grouped in their project teams began to make their way into the room. There were only two projects being conducted by individuals, the rest were teams of either two or three students. Bill walked in, a smile on his scarred face.

"Good afternoon, Professor Potter. So good of you to invite me."

"Good afternoon, Professor Weasley. So good of you to accept."

The two laughed, acting, as Bill had once put it, like two overgrown students playing at being Professors. Bill took a seat towards the back of the room. The magical chamber was mostly full by the time Professor McGonagall strode in. The students began to stand up and she waved them back down.

"No, no, stay as you were. I'm just here to observe," she said and then directed her attention to Harry. "Good afternoon, Professor. I'm looking forward to what your students have prepared."

"So am I, ma'am. I've gotten a few hints here and there but I don't know what the final outcomes will be."

"I hope you don't mind, Harry, but there will be several guests whom I expect at any moment," the Headmistress said.

Harry's eyes darted to the still empty frame and then back again.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore wished to be present but Professors Dragonova and Markovic also wished to attend. I got the message the other day and quite forgot to mention it to you. I trust it doesn't create an issue," she said.

"No, ma'am, I don't think so. The students know them well enough," Harry replied.

"Excellent. Ah, here they are now," she said.

Into the room walked Professor Dragonova and Professor Markovic. Both were smiling widely and acknowledged waves from some of the students. As they came to stand before Harry and the Headmistress, Professor Markovic offered his hand.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Professor Potter. I trust we find you in good health?"

"Yes, sir, and it's good to see you as well. This is a very pleasant surprise," Harry said.

"Surprise?" Professor Dragonova asked.

"I'm afraid that is my fault, Professors. I forgot to inform Harry of your attendance. I do apologize," the Headmistress said.

"Vill ve be a bother to you and your students, Harry?" Professor Dragonova asked.

"Not at all, ma'am. We're pleased to have you here again. You can sit with Professor Weasley," Harry said as he gestured toward Bill who waved for them to join him.

"We'll everybody," Harry began, "it looks like we are about to begin. I'd like to start by acknowledging some visitors today. We have Professor McGonagall and Professor Weasley, of course. Also, two very special guests whom I'm sure you recognize, who've returned to Hogwarts just to attend our special session. Professor Dragonova and Professor Markovic of, of…" Harry faltered and then looked at the guests, "Has a name been selected for the new school yet, Professors?"

"Not at this time, Professor Potter," Professor Dragonova replied. "There have been many suggestions but the Board of Directors have yet to make a selection."

"Ah, yes, thank you. Well, anyway," Harry directed back to the students, "I'm sure you remember them from their visit and the wonderful contributions they made during their time with us. So without further delay, let's begin. Who'd like to start us off?"

A number of hands were raised and Harry selected one of the teams. This particular pair of witches from Slytherin were investigating the applications of wandless magic. Their premise was that the wand was a device originally created to allow for the amplification of magical ability, most likely to make strong wizards even stronger, but that it also allowed less capable magic users to acquire greater ability. Their contention was that the wand had become a crutch that has hampered, if not outright halted, the evolution of magic as a more natural ability for humans. They outlined how wandless magic occurred all the time and that Goblins and House Elves didn't need to use one, as much as they might like to. They believed that it should be possible to increase the ability of most witches and wizards to do a wider variety of magic without a wand.

It was evident to Harry that the two witches had done significant research based on the number of sources they were citing, to include several sessions with Mr. Ollivander. The pair fielded a number of questions and received a 'well done, you' from Harry and some applause from their classmates. Next up was the explosive trio investigating the possible common thread for healing potions.

It was evident that their project had recovered nicely from their pre-holiday disaster and they had completed what they called the first phase of their work. They had identified the two compounds common to all such potions and how the varying ratio between the two was key to the strength of the mixture. The addition of various other substances acted as modifiers that determined what illness or condition the potion would treat. Of particular note was that St. Mungo's had offered all three students the opportunity to continue their work for at least a year in conjunction with Neville and Professor Sprout's project. Professor Dragonova asked if she might have the opportunity to discuss their work with them after the class was over.

Several other presentations were made with subjects including, "Are Dark Creatures Truly Dark", "The Psychology of Ghosthood", and "The Future of Magical Race Relations". The last was a solo project by a Hufflepuff wizard who Harry was fairly confident would wind up working for Hermione at the Ministry. The presentation that followed this one was the one Harry was anticipating with a mixture of interest and dread. It was, of course, the trio of Ravenclaws who were doing the analysis of Harry's activities during the Voldemort and Ministry years. Harry noticed the picture frame on the back wall was finally occupied. The young witch that had generally served as the team spokesperson stood up and faced the audience.

"Before we begin our formal discussion we would like to express our appreciation to Professor Potter for allowing us to take on this project. We don't think there are too many people who would willingly allow a group of students to poke and prod into what would be by any standards, fairly difficult periods in someone's life. And he not only allowed but participated," she said and then smiled a bit. "One person whom we interviewed suggested we had, and I quote, 'a lot of bloody cheek'. So thank you, sir," she said to Harry.

Harry merely nodded.

"The reason for our choosing this particular topic is quite simple and rather selfish. No wizard in modern times has the breadth of experience in battling various elements of the Dark Arts as has Professor Potter. In addition, his innovations in magical law enforcement resulted in an unprecedented reformation of that department. The fact that this happened at such a young age presents we, his contemporaries, with a dilemma. We felt that it would be unlikely that any form of scholarly investigation into these episodes would be undertaken anytime soon. And knowing the Professor as we have come to over these past three years, we didn't think he would be producing any such works himself. This is not to say he hasn't shared with us information and insights, he most certainly has. But we," she said, indicating her teammates, "felt there was more to be learned. So we took it upon ourselves to the do the work."

With that as a preamble, she then launched into a synopsis of what appeared to be a rather significant volume of work. Harry listened with a sort of bemused detachment as the Ravenclaw witch outlined several different chapters of Harry's career and summarized their analysis. When she was done she asked for questions, of which there were quite a few. Several students took exception to some less favorable commentary that was made about some of his earlier efforts, in particular, the night at the Department of Mysteries when Sirius died. The comment that probably best summed it up was 'What do you bloody well expect? He was a kid'.

Harry finally brought the questions and answers to an end by saying,

"We'll take one last question and it looks like Professor Dragonova would like to ask it."

"Thank you, Professor," she said and then turned her attention to the Ravenclaw team. "Young lady, vot vould you say vould best describe Professor Potter, in as few vords as possible."

The three students put there heads together for a moment and then the witch replied,

"A reluctant warrior, willing to do whatever it takes, make whatever sacrifices necessary, but who would much rather not be doing it."

"Thank you," was all Professor Dragonova offered in reply.

"And thank you," Harry said to the students. "The entire report should make for an interesting read. We have a few more projects to do so why not take a short pause and then we'll finish up."

The three Ravenclaws approached Harry to hand him their actual report, a number of parchment sheets bound in a cover.

"Sir," the spokeswitch began, "we just wanted to say thank you again for your patience with us and the good grace that you've shown. We think we know you well enough to realize that this probably wasn't particularly pleasant for you."

Harry gave her a lopsided smile and said,

"It was something I would have preferred not to have happened, but I could see your interest was genuine and your motives were honorable. You handled it well."

"Thank you, sir."

As the three students went back to their seats Harry could see that Bill and Professor McGonagall were having a quiet conversation and then they went to talk to Professor Dumbledore, who was still in his frame. But since there were still some reports to be done he didn't give it much thought and concentrated on getting everyone back in place so they could finish up. An hour or so later, when the last question for the last presenter was answered Harry stepped forward and said,

"Well done, all of you. I'm very pleased with what I've heard today and look forward to reading your reports in detail," he said and then looked to the rear of the room and asked, "Professors? Any last questions or comments?"

Both of the visiting Professors shook their heads, each having asked several questions of the presenters. Bill nodded and stood up.

"I would just like to add my own 'well done'. This was a very impressive display of knowledge and research efforts, as well as some very novel perceptions of the magical world. Professor Potter, thank you for affording us the opportunity to be here."

Harry nodded and then saw Professor McGonagall rise.

"I would just like to say I am most pleased with the results of your efforts. Most pleased. Your projects are marvelous examples of scholarship and I would like to have copies of your reports provided to the library so other students will have the benefit of your research and well done to you, Professor. A very inspired idea and if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to speak to you after you've dismissed your students."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied and then focused on his students. "Again, well done you. Dismissed."

The students were all smiles as they stood up and began to file out, talking in low tones. Harry gathered up the reports and stacked them on the table and once the room was mostly cleared he walked back to join the other teachers.

"Harry, ve appreciate your allowing us to be here. Vould you excuse us please, I vish to speak with the students who vorked on the healing potions project."

"Certainly, ma'am. It was a pleasure to see you both again."

"Once again, Harry," Professor McGonagall said when the two visitors had left, "well done. You've presented me with a bit of a problem. With my intention to phase out the Applied Magic class I now have to question the wisdom of that decision. I think we'll need to talk in the days ahead. I can see where the continuation of this particular effort could prove very beneficial."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll give some thought to how we might do that."

"There is something else I'd like to discuss with you. Professor Weasley and I noticed you exhibited a fair amount of discomfort during the presentation on your exploits," the head said.

"Discomfort, ma'am?"

"We could see it in your expression, your posture," Bill offered.

"We thought, and Professor Dumbledore concurs, that perhaps it might be a good idea if you let us review and grade that particular project," the Headmistress said.

"Are you saying that you don't think I can be objective?" Harry asked.

"I don't know that anyone could be in similar circumstances but we have less concern about objectivity then we do about the affect that reliving all of that might have on you," she said.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry said, his voice taking on a very formal tone, "I would like to think that I've grown past the point where I need to be protected from my past."

"I would hope so as well, Professor Potter," the Headmistress said implacably. "But I would rather not put that assumption to the test at this particular time. I'm afraid that I will have to insist."

Professor McGonagall held out her hand, looking at Harry over the top of her glasses. Harry looked to Bill, whose scarred face was admirably neutral. He took a deep breath and let it out in more of a snort than a sigh. He returned to the table, picked up the report and walked back to where the Head and Bill were standing. He handed her the volume of parchment sheets silently. With a simple nod she tucked the report under her arm, turned and walked out of the room. Bill looked as if he was going to say something but he just gave Harry a lopsided grin and followed after Professor McGonagall.

Harry stared at the wall for a moment and then his gaze was drawn to the picture frame that still held the image of Professor Dumbledore, who was regarding him with sympathetic eyes.

"Harry, my boy," the former Headmaster began but he hesitated when he saw Harry's expression tighten at the world 'boy'. "Simply an expression of affection, Harry, but under the circumstances, inappropriate perhaps. I simply wished to ask you to withhold judging us too harshly until you've had the opportunity to think on it a bit more."

"I'm not a child anymore, sir."

"A point well taken, Harry. However, I'm not aware that friends and family are required to stop demonstrating their concern because someone has reached the age of majority. Please think on it, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said and then walked out of the picture frame.

Harry shook his head as he went to gather up the other project reports and his briefcase. He left the Room of Requirements in a decidedly poorer mood than when he entered. If this was somehow better than some hypothetical reaction to reading that report he didn't see it. It was warm enough that Harry's school robe was sufficient against the weather outside. As he left the castle and walked down towards the school gate he looked at the snowless lawn and wished there had been a snow sculpture to distract him. He walked the short distance to the small house and the fireplace home. When Kreacher bowed him in at the back door he didn't even say thank you. He went straight to the library, threw all his 'homework' onto the couch and then flopped down into his chair. A few moments later Ginny entered and took in the scene.

"Your day didn't go well, sweetheart?" she asked.

"Actually, most of it went quite well," he replied. "My applied magic seventh years turned in their projects and made their presentations. They did quite well."

"So why the long face, love?" she asked.

"You know about the one project where the three Ravenclaws were doing an analysis of my so called adventures?" he asked.

"Of course. I answered a number of questions from them," she replied.

"Well, Professor McGonagall and Bill where there to observe and after we were all done they, well actually the head, but Bill agreed, that I probably shouldn't be the one to review and grade their full project report. They were concerned about what affect it might have on me," he finished with a snort.

Ginny's eyes looked troubled as she watched the expressions flow across Harry's face. She knew what each one meant and therefore knew that he was decidedly unhappy.

"Harry, I'm sure they did it out of concern for you as a person, not as some judgment of your professional abilities," she said.

"I find that rather ironic considering one of the reasons I was asked to teach at Hogwarts was so the students could benefit from my so called experiences. My very first lecture I gave as a seventh year was all about things that I, we, were involved in."

"Yes, I remember it very well. I seem to recall that you chose what and what not to talk about. I also remember that you left some rather significant events out of that lecture that I've still never heard you talk about. I have to wonder then, how you'd feel about reading a detailed account of one or more of those events with accompanying critique," she said looking at him seriously.

"So? What? You think I'm made of glass, too?"

"No, not glass. But I think there are some things you could do without a reminder of," she replied.

Harry's only response was blowing out a breath. Ginny maintained the silence but it didn't have the chance to stretch out for too long as Nibs soon called them to dinner in the kitchen. They walked together but said nothing. When they entered the kitchen Abagail was already there with James who was settled into his high chair. It was apparent that she could see that something was wrong but she didn't ask and chose not to 'look'. As Ginny fussed with James a bit, Abagail did say,

"Hiya, Harry."

"Hello, little one."

"I wonder if I might ask you a favor?" she asked.

"And what might that be?" Harry asked in reply.

"Well, Angus has mentioned several times that he thought it might be time that he started looking for a real job."

"He doesn't want to work on the Study Group anymore?" Harry asked with some genuine concern.

"Oh, no, he still wants to be part of the project but he doesn't think that he can do it forever and it's not like he's making any money out of it," she replied. "Everyone else involved has a job."

"Looking to the future, is he?"

"His, at least," Abagail replied with a bit of a grin.

"So, what is this favor that has to do with Angus and his future?" Harry asked.

"We just thought that with his unique talents that there might be a place for him in the Mysteries department," she said.

Harry thought for a moment and then nodded his agreement. For a good portion of the rest of the meal Harry and Abagail talked about the possibilities. Ginny said little, concentrating on making sure that James ate more than he wore and listening to the tone of Harry's voice, looking for clues to his mood. She did notice that he was talking more than eating, which for Harry was a sign of stress.

Abagail had gotten a promise from Harry to send a message to the Minister of Magic since he didn't know the new Director of Mysteries. As Nibs began to float the dishes away, she sat back and looked at Harry. After a moment she asked,

"Now that dinner is over, may I be allowed to know what's bothering you so much?"

Harry regarded her for a moment and then said,

"Well, first of all let me say thank you for asking and not just 'looking'. Second, something occurred at school this afternoon and it put me out of sorts."

"And what occurred was…?" she prompted.

Harry sighed and then explained what had happened. Ginny added what she had said in the library. Abagail said nothing in response when they had finished, she just looked at Harry with those big, dark eyes. Then she stood up and came to stand by his side and put an arm around his shoulders.

"It must be a bloody great annoyance to have people care about you so much that they'd risk angering the most powerful wizard of the age out of concern for your well being," she said looking down at him, if only a bit.

She used her free hand to pull Harry closer and kissed the top of his head and then said,

"Good night, daddy. I hope you sleep well and feel better in the morning."

With that she let Harry go and left the kitchen. Harry watched her leave and then turned to look at Ginny who was trying to hide a smile.

"I may be mistaken, but I think that girl was having a go at me," he said.

"I don't think you're mistaken, Harry. But I think she was telling you something important, dear."

"Hmm," was all he said.

Later that evening Harry was sitting in the library trying to read but his poor mood was distracting him. Something caught his eye and as he looked he saw the image of his mother coalesce. She had that nearly solid appearance like the evening after the Dursley's visit. She looked at her son, her face set and her green eyes serious.

"You're being positively silly. You know that, don't you?" Lily asked.

"Mum, I…" Harry started.

"Don't you 'mum' me, young fellow. As Abagail said, you have people who care that much for you and you respond by behaving like a petulant little boy. Now, despite our long separation I have had the opportunity to watch you a great deal these last years and it's been enough for me to know this isn't really you. Now, tell me what it is that is really bothering you."

Two pairs of green eyes locked in a silent struggle. Harry knew he wasn't going to win but the same stubborn nature that kept him from resigning a game of wizards chess to Ron compelled him to draw out the contest of wills with the shade of his mother. Lily countered with a tilt of her head and a cocked eyebrow that signaled she was willing to wait as long as it took to get an answer. For someone on the other side of the line between life and death she definitely had the advantage. Harry finally gave in, slumping back in his chair. He looked away for a moment and then back to his mother.

"What if they're right, mum? What if I am that fragile," he asked in a small voice.

"Fragile? You're as tough as an old hobnail boot. Why would you think something like that?" Lily asked.

"Why else would anyone be concerned about what I might read in that report? Wasn't that the whole point with Dr. Parsons? That I might loose control somehow? That I'm not able to deal with things?" he asked.

"My poor Harry. So many questions. No, my dear, this is not like that. Dr. Parsons was afraid that you had so much to be angry about. And that you had so much that you wanted to protect that you would use your great strength in ways that you would come to regret. This time it has to do with your happiness, Harry. Those around you see happy now and they don't want that to change," Lily said and then her face took that serious set again.

"You know, I still love my sister, but at times like this I remember how difficult she could be when we were children. When I think how she treated you all those years, I'd like to take up residence in her house for a few weeks.

When she saw the look on Harry's face she couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't concern yourself, darling. I am bound to you and this house. I'll not be going anywhere for some time," she said with a smile.

Harry nodded in return and a thought occurred to him.

"Mum? Why don't I ever see dad the way I do you?"

"I'm not entirely sure, dear. Rest assured he is nearby and very much interested in you and the family. As to why I can appear to you this way and he can't," she just shrugged. "I believe it may have to do with the magic Professor Dumbledore told you about. It bound us together then and I suppose it still does. I think if you wish to see your father you'd likely find him in that place where we first encountered each other. Perhaps Abagail would be of help."

"I'll give it a try, mum."

"Now, back to the topic at hand. Can you understand the motives behind what the Headmistress and Bill Weasley did?" she asked.

Harry took a breath and said,

"I suppose, but I think it might have been helpful if they had discussed it with me first. When she put her hand out like that I felt like I was a first year again."

Lily laughed a bit and said,

"Unfortunately, my dear, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she still thinks of you that way at times. What has been more than half a lifetime for you has been just a fraction of hers. Perhaps she needs a reminder, a gentle one, now and again."

Harry laughed at that and added,

"That would take some careful phrasing."

"I'm glad you recognize that. Well, my dear, I've said all that I can think of. I would just ask you to think about what has been said and remember that what people try to do for you comes from love and respect, not out of malice or pettiness. And know that you are loved, on both sides."

"I know, mum, and thanks," he replied.

"Now, before I go, I wish to try something. Please stand up."

Harry did as he was asked and Lily took a few steps forward. She held out her arms and with a smile he stepped forward into her embrace. What he felt was a strange, almost not-there, sensation. It certainly lacked the rib bruising substance of one of Fleur's hugs, but it still managed to convey the heartfelt love of a mother for her son. When she let go she stepped back and said,

"Not so bad, was it? Certainly much better than those first times. Sleep well, if you can, darling."

"Good night, mum," Harry replied as the image faded.

By this time Harry was feeling quite fatigued, so he left his book on the small table and went to bed. It did take some time for him to fall asleep but once he did it was fairly deep and undisturbed. When he woke up the next morning he wasn't in a spectacular mood but it had improved enough so that he remembered to write a note to the Minister asking if he could arrange an interview for Angus with the Director of the Mysteries Department. Abagail thanked him profusely and said she would take care of sending it off via Harry's owl. He was sent off to school with several hugs and kisses from Ginny, Abagail and James. Even the walk from the small house to Hogwarts was a pleasant affair, taking place as it did at the beginning of what appeared to be a fine spring day. He had eaten breakfast at home so he went straight to his classroom. Professor McGonagall arrived several minutes later.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall."

"Good morning, Professor Potter, how are you getting on this morning?" she asked.

"Fairly well, thank you. Yourself?" he responded politely.

"Just fine. Have you had the chance to think about yesterday?"

"Yes, ma'am. While I'm still not particularly happy about it, I suppose I can understand how you might see the situation. I will ask, however, that you explain to the three Ravenclaws why it will be your handwriting they see and not mine when the report is returned to them," Harry said.

"I believe that is acceptable. I'll speak to them today. I'll leave you to your work then, Professor."

"Yes, ma'am."

After the Headmistress left, Harry wondered if things would be so cordial when he saw Bill at lunch. In fact, his brother in law looked a bit embarrassed when Harry saw him.

"Hiya, Bill," Harry said.

"Hello, Harry. How are you doing?"

"No worries, you?" Harry replied.

"Better now. The Head and I were a little concerned with how things were when you left yesterday."

Harry gave a shrug and said,

"I was pretty annoyed but I had time to consider it. I'm still not thrilled about it but at least I can understand the concern."

Bill's expression relaxed considerably until Harry added.

"Of course, I'll probably need to sit down and have a chat with Fleur. She's always helpful in situations like this," his expression bordering on the malicious.


	31. Chapter 31

Professor Potter, Chapter 31

"Are you ready, Harry?" Charlie Weasley asked.

"You have no idea how ready I am, Charlie," Harry replied as he finished pulling on his Quidditch gloves.

It was the second Saturday after the 'incident' with the seventh year research projects and Harry was looking forward to getting on his broom and playing some serious Quidditch. He had gotten a message from Charlie and Eleanor that a match had been suggested by some friends of theirs and he had replied enthusiastically in the affirmative. Ginny of course was going to be sidelined because of her pregnancy but an old friend had been found to take her place. Ernestine Appleby was going to fly with them in Ginny's place. Harry had the chance to talk to her when they first arrived at the public Quidditch park. She was working as the second assistant to the assistant manager of the Wimbourne Wasps. As she put it, the salary was almost nonexistent, but it was a foot in the door.

The past week and a half had been a bit tense, for lack of a better word, for Harry. He was still chaffing at the way things had turned out with the project concerning himself. Understanding someone's point of view is not the same as accepting it or agreeing with it. He also had a little talk with Abagail about her comments and explained that while he clearly loved her as much as any father could he wasn't prepared to have her refer to him as 'daddy', especially when it was intended as a jibe. The girl was suitably contrite and promised it would be 'Harry' from there on out.

With all that going on Harry was more than happy for the chance to get out and stretch his Firebolt just as far as he could. The practice session that was held the prior Sunday had helped loosen everyone up and Harry was now ready to really let go.

"Harry, we're going to mix things up a bit today. Charlie will start off as Seeker and we're putting you in as a Chaser," Eleanor said.

"Really? I wasn't aware that you thought my ball handling was up to any standard," Harry replied.

"We've seen you play with a Quaffle enough to know you can do it. Plus we think it will confound the other side a bit. And to be perfectly honest we'd like to see how much of a distraction you can be. So don't hesitate to let the stops out on that broom of yours. The more trouble they have figuring out where you are, the less likely they'll be able to mount any kind of serious scoring challenge."

Harry looked at his friend and occasional chess adversary with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Excuse me for thinking this, El, but you're sounding like you have something devious in mind. Am I missing something here?" Harry asked.

El smiled a bit and he thought she was looking a bit rosy in the cheeks. With a bit of a laugh she said,

"One of the Chasers on the other team is an old friend of mine. We were always very competitive when up at school, grades, boys, Quidditch. Quidditch was the one area she could never beat me at and I intend to keep it that way," El said in a very determined voice.

"Alright, you're the boss. I'll be happy to oblige," Harry said with a smile.

In fact, he was more than happy since it was essentially carte' blanche to do what he wanted to do and that was fly the bristles off his broom. The referee for the match was an old classmate of Bill's who had taken to hanging around the park on weekends to offer his services as a referee to anyone who needed one. He whistled the teams into position and sent the balls aloft. Then he tossed the Quaffle into play and the match was on. Now it has been noted on many occasions by any number of people that Harry was an exceptional flyer. His performances at Hogwarts during his student days were the stuff of school legend. His ability to maneuver his broom through seemingly impossible aerobatics was without parallel and there wasn't a snitch made that he couldn't get the better of, or so it seemed. That all paled in comparison to what went on during the three hour match that took place this day.

The reason was quite simple. Today, Harry flew for the sake of flying. Scoring goals was secondary. Eleanor maintaining an upper hand over her friend, a consequence. Winning the match, a byproduct. All these things were but ancillary features of a performance by the one flyer in all of Quidditch history who really understood what flying was. In fact, if anyone had been able to get a close enough look they would have seen a pair of brilliant green eyes with vertical pupils behind his flying goggles.

From the moment the Quaffle was aloft Harry was flat out every chance he got. He spent a great deal of his time moving the ball up the pitch to hand off to one of the more experienced scorers. He did manage three goals based on sheer audacity. He was able to overwhelm the opposing defense with combinations of barrel rolls, loops and a couple of well placed 'Potter bootlegs'. Eleanor, Bee, and Angelina accounted for the other goals as they rotated through the two other Chaser positions.

Bill and George had the Bludgers moving, further disrupting the opposition. Ron had the goals well tended and allowed only an occasional score. But again, for Harry this was all noise on the edges of his awareness. What mattered was the sound of the air rushing past his ears, the sensation of his stomach being pushed back against his spine as he pulled a tight, high-g turn and the pull of gravity as he went into a steep climb or dive. He was finally pulled back to earth by several loud, shrill blasts of a whistle. The three hour time limit had run out and the Weasley Potter Flyers had emerged triumphant with a score of two hundred and ten to sixty.

Harry came into a hover near his teammates, his face split in a wide grin, his eyes wide and bright. He was also laughing as he looked around at the others, all with some form of bemused expression. Ron was the first to make a comment.

"Bloody hell, Harry, that was amazing. You were way better than even your best flying at Hogwarts," he said.

"Thanks, mate, but I was just out there having fun."

"Yes, we could tell," Eleanor said with a wry smile. "We could hear you laughing and hooting all over the pitch. If the others weren't so busy trying to chase you down I'd think they'd have been scratching their heads."

"The thing I can't understand," Bee said, "is why in the world you aren't flying for the pros. If any of them had seen that performance they'd be climbing over each other to try and sign you up."

Harry laughed some more and said,

"I sometimes wonder about that myself, Bee. But I'm not sure it would still be that much fun if I was doing it day after day. But it is something to think about, isn't it?"

This last comment got Bill's attention. He was feeling particularly uncomfortable about the project incident since he was the first to voice his concern about Harry going through all that material and what affect it might have on him. He had since come to regret it. Harry hadn't gone through with the implied threat of bringing the affair to Fleur's attention but it still weighed on him that perhaps he didn't do his younger brother any favors. Hearing Harry so glibly suggest he'd entertain the idea of leaving teaching to go into professional Quidditch was disquieting to say the least. On the other hand he was glad to see Harry so happy, having clearly enjoyed his time in the air. His thoughts were interrupted by Harry's next pronouncement.

"What do you say we grab something at the concessions? My treat."

This got a round of agreement and they drifted to a landing and shouldering their brooms they walked towards the multi-purpose building that had replaced the old warehouse/barn. Harry acknowledged a few comments of 'well flown' and 'good on yas' from the small group that had congregated to watch the match. They went into the building through the front entrance and could see that one whole side to the left was given over to food vendors and places to sit. The other side was divided into several open front shops catering to the amateur flyer and enthusiast. Harry led the team into the concession area where they occupied two tables and then worked out who was going to have what. Once everyone had their selections they sat back and began to recount various plays and actions. Harry found himself asking a number of questions about who did what and when, and it was becoming obvious his focus had been far more narrow then anyone had thought.

"Harry, how could you not be aware of these things? You were in the middle of half of the plays we've been discussing," Bee asked.

"I guess I was aware of them then, but apparently they didn't register on my memory very well. Guess I was just having too much fun. What is it they call it, sensory overload?" he said with a smile. "All I know, we have got to do more of this. I feel better than I have in a while."

"I dunno, Captain Speedy," Eleanor said with a grin. "After word of this match gets around we may have a hard time finding any opponents."

When Harry returned home that evening he was still smiling and as he was putting his gear away in the broom closet under the stairs Ginny came down the hall with James in tow. The boy was starting to get more insistent about being allowed to do his own walking.

"Well, someone certainly looks like the kneazle that caught the garden gnome. The match went well did it?" Ginny asked.

"Very well. Eleanor gets to maintain her domination of her old friend from Hogwarts and I had a really good time flying."

"That's really terrific. Do you think you'll be playing again this year?" she asked.

"I certainly hope so. I suggested we should."

"Good, I think it would be fun to bring all the children out to watch. Sort of a summer picnic trip."

"I like it. I'd imagine between yourself, Eleanor and Fleur you could get something organized," he said as he put his arm around her shoulder and they walked towards the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind if we discuss it in the kitchen. I had a little snack before coming home but I'm still kind of hungry. I hope there might be something to nibble on."

"Actually, my love, we figured you'd be in need of feeding so Kreacher and Nibs have gotten dinner ready early," Ginny said as they walked along.

"Ah, my day is complete. Hmmm, maybe I'd better wash up then. Give me a moment, please," Harry said and then he detoured into the hall wash room.

When he finished he came out to find Ginny and James waiting for him. He scooped the boy up and held him in the crook of his arm. He looked at him and said,

"I'm thinking, my boy, that it might be time to get you a little broom of your own," and then looking at Ginny said, "How old were you, love, when you got on a broom the first time."

"On a broom, I was a bit younger than James but that was with Bill holding me in front of him. Actually riding one by myself I was about five. It was an old decrepit thing that dad cut down for me but the spells were so weak it couldn't get more than three feet off the ground and move at a snail's pace. But it was good enough to get me hooked," she said with a grin. "I know they make ones more to James' size but it wasn't something Mum and Dad could afford at that time."

"We'll have to take a trip to Diagon Alley to have a look at the Quidditch supply store," Harry said. "Maybe on Saturday?"

"Sounds like fun. Much longer and I won't want to be waddling up and down the Alley," she said with a smile.

They were walking into the kitchen by now and Harry saw a wonderful dinner spread out on the table. A loud growl rumbled from the area of his belt buckle and he and Ginny started to laugh.

"The dragon stirs," she said.

"Where's Abagail," Harry said as they got James settled.

"Out with Angus," Ginny replied.

"So, are you getting any clues about how things are going with those two?" Harry asked.

"Well, judging by her mood, I'd say things are going well. They spend more time together. She mentioned something about her helping him get ready for his interview on Monday. I hope they can appreciate what a special fellow his is beyond what he'll likely talk about, which is probably very little."

"I mentioned in my note to the Minister that he's has a brilliant mind but is very reticent. The reply I got back indicated they were prepared to interview him with an eye towards that. Something about more practical application as opposed to just talking. Let him demonstrate his capabilities," Harry replied.

"Oh, that's perfect."

So they had a quiet family meal with Harry talking about some of the match, Ginny asking questions about who managed to do what and James attracting attention whenever he could. After dinner was over Harry was feeling better than he had in a while. Since they had dinner early James still had time before he was to be put to bed. He wanted to show Harry a new trick he had learned and Harry said he would very much like to see it.

"'nuffles!" James shouted and the big Mastiff dutifully trotted down the hall and came to stand before the boy.

James put his hand on top of the dogs head and pushed down a bit. Snuffles dipped his head so that his snout was pointing towards the floor. James stepped forward and put his chest against the top of the Snuffles' head. He then reached forward and gripped the dog's collar and said,

"Push, 'nuffles."

With that the dog started walking forward pushing James backwards down the hall, his sock covered feet sliding along the stone floor. Harry watched the demonstration with a smile, thinking that in a muggle household James would be hooking up Snuffles to a small red wagon to be pulled around the garden. As it was Harry wondered what sort of combination the boy would be coming up with when he was introduced to a broom. After a few circuits up and down the corridor, Snuffles had had enough so he picked his head up and lifted the boy clear off his feet, causing some shrieking and laughter. Harry walked over and picked James up and rubbed the big blocky head.

"Good boy, Snuffles. You are far more tolerant than I could ever be," he said. "And as for you my young fellow, it's getting close to bed time. Let's get you to your mother and ready for bed and then I'll read you a story, how's that?"

"Babbity!"

"Yes, Babbity if you so wish it, young sir," Harry said.

The rest of the weekend passed pleasantly. Harry had a lie in on Sunday morning, the exertion from the day before having finally caught up with him late the previous evening. It was a fine day so the afternoon was given over to outdoor activities, which mostly revolved around James scurrying around the garden, Snuffles either in pursuit or being pursued. Early in the afternoon Abagail and Angus came out onto the lawn and a discussion ensued on what the young man might expect for his interview. Harry was very straight forward, while both Abagail and Ginny offered encouragement. Angus appeared a bit anxious but the idea of being able to demonstrate his abilities as opposed to having to talk about them gave him some confidence in the outcome. The conversation was interrupted when Snuffles bowled him over from behind while trying to escape from James. What ensued took the others by surprise.

Angus continued his roll and came up to his knees with Snuffles in a bear hug and the wrestling match was on. Harry, Ginny and Abagail watched in open mouthed amazement as the big dog and Angus rolled and tumbled on the grass. Angus was doing an admirable job of keeping a grip on the barrel shaped body but Snuffles would counter with one of two weapons, a severe tongue lashing, literally, or a swipe of a slobbering jowl across the face. The tussle went on for several minutes until Angus had had enough of a dripping wet face and came up on his knees and gave the dog a gentle shove away and then took hold of the big head with a hand behind each ear, rubbing vigorously.

"Guit fella," he said as Snuffles growled low in contentment.

He then turned and said with a sheepish grin,

"He's a guit dahg. Ai think ai need tae clean up."

Abagail bounced up and took one of Angus' hands and hauled him to his feet and without relinquishing her hold said,

"We'll be right back."

As Ginny and Harry watched the two hurrying towards the house they looked at one another and Ginny said,

"What do you make of that?"

"It would appear that he's much more comfortable around children and animals than adults. Maybe they were more tolerant of his uniqueness," Harry suggested.

As agreed the following Saturday found Harry, Ginny and James, followed by Abagail and Angus, walking along Diagon Alley on their way to the Quality Quidditch Supply store to look at a broom for James. Afterwards they would wander about until lunch time where they would meet at the Cauldron for a meal. The door bell jingled as they walked into the shop and attracted the attention of the proprietor.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, what a pleasant surprise. How may I be of assistance today?"

"Hello, Mr. Quiddly. We're looking for a starter broom for the young man here," Harry said as he held James.

"Hmm, I believe we have just the thing. It's a very popular model for the beginning flyer," the shop owner said as he came around the counter and moved to a case against one wall.

He pulled out a broom that was no more than half the size of a standard model. It had a smooth straight handle and a small bundle of smooth twigs at one end. It was clean and simple.

"Here you are. Its spells will not allow it to go more than three feet above the ground and it must be started by an adult. That way we avoid any unpleasant incidents of young flyers drifting away from home."

Harry took the broom and examined it closely. It appeared that great care had been taken to make sure there were no rough edges or loose ends that might catch bare skin or a piece of clothing that might cause trouble for a young, inexperienced flyer.

"Looks good to me. What do you think, love?" Harry asked of Ginny.

She took the broom from Harry and used a professional's eye to examine it closely. She nodded in satisfaction and said,

"I think it looks just fine."

"We'll take it," Harry said.

"Marvelous, I'll just wrap it up."

"Harry, I'd like to look at some accessories, you know, gloves, goggles, that sort of thing."

Harry looked at Ginny with raised eyebrows for a moment then said,

"If you'd like, but remember, he's only two. It's not like he's going to be going out to fly his first match."

Ginny and Abagail exchanged glances that meant nothing to Harry but likely spoke volumes in girl-speak, probably centered around the word 'men'. With Abagail holding on to James the two women began examining the various items of Quidditch gear while Harry and Angus stood silently watching. After a few minutes Harry turned to Angus and asked,

"Have you spent much time flying, Angus?"

"Nae, Professor, ai'm naht verra guit onna broom."

"Maybe Abagail could give you some lessons, she's gotten very proficient," Harry said. "The family does a lot of flying, given the chance."

"Won't help, sir," Angus said, pointing to his ears. "Problems."

Harry immediately understood. The young man had inner ear problems and therefore had trouble staying on a broom and likely vertigo issues once in the air. He just smiled a bit and nodded.

"When we get back to the house, I'd like you to show me what you've put together so far on the project. I haven't been paying much attention to it, all things considered. I need to get back in touch with what everyone is doing."

"Mah pleasure, sir."

It took another fifteen minutes for Ginny and Abagail to decide what items to get for James to wear. Harry observed that Abagail was providing a bit of a calming influence on his wife. If left to her own devices he was sure the boy would have been turned out in a complete set of gear, heavily accented with Holyhead Harpie colors. Instead, Abagail seemed to favor a Hogwarts theme.

"Alright, Harry, we're done here. Let's settle up and then Abagail and Angus can go off on their own for a while."

Harry nodded and took hold of the gear and carried it to the counter where the new broom waited, wrapped in brown paper. While he settled the bill Ginny said,

"We'll see you at the Cauldron for lunch at twelve thirty, alright?"

"Ok, Ginny, see you then. Come on, Angus," Abagail said as she took hold of the boys hand and led him outside to the pavement.

"Professor Potter, if you're going to be having lunch at the Cauldron I can have your packages delivered there to save you the trouble of carrying them about the Alley."

"That would be much appreciated, Mr. Quiddly," Harry said as he added another sickle to the coins he was counting out.

A few minutes later Harry, Ginny and James were outside, the air warm and the Alley full of witches and wizards going about their business. There were a number of greetings offered, some from people he recognized, many he didn't. He got nods from the two Patrollers on duty along with 'morning, sir' from the senior officer. Harry hadn't planned on going into Flourish and Blotts since he had a fair amount of reading already lined up but as they passed by the proprietor hurried outside and called to him.

"Professor Potter, what a stroke of good fortune you're here today. Would you have a few moments to spare?"

"Good ahead, Harry. I'll take James into the stationary store. I need to look for a few things," Ginny said.

"Alright, love. I'll be there shortly," Harry replied and then followed the man into the book shop.

"So, what's on your mind today?" he asked once inside.

"As always, sir, we keep our eyes and ears open on your behalf for anything that might prove of interest to you. We received a message yesterday morning from one of our contacts that a particular volume has become available and I wanted to bring it to your attention."

"Alright, you have my attention. What is this book?"

"It's called 'Chartae de Atterimus Magica', the 'Book of Deadly Magic'," the proprietor said.

"That's one I've not heard of before," Harry said.

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised, Professor. As far as I know it's the only copy there is."

"Who wrote it?" Harry asked.

"We aren't sure, sir, but the information that was offered suggests that it was the property of your most deadly enemy, and that he himself contributed to its contents."

"Tom Riddle owned it?" Harry asked incredulously.

"That is what our source tells us, sir. We are working to authenticate the claim. I am aware that more than a few artifacts supposedly belonging to your nemesis have found their way onto the market, a few of which are actually legitimate. Would you be interested?"

"You're bloody well right I'm interested, if only to keep it out of the hands of some would-be successor to the old snake. Let me know as soon as you're sure of what it is," Harry said.

"As you say, sir. We will notify you immediately."

With a nod, Harry left the book store and made his way to the stationary store. Ginny had her items selected and Harry paid for them. They spent the rest of the morning walking along the Alley mostly window shopping but they did step into Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to talk to George and get a look at the clerk that had attracted Gabrielle's attention. He was a handsome young wizard a few years younger than Harry, although he didn't recognize him from Hogwarts, but then again he didn't know everyone who was there during his student days. He had dark hair and eyes, a ready smile for a customer and the most astonished look on his face when Harry walked in.

"Professor Potter, sir, welcome to the shop," the young man said.

"Good morning. Pardon me, but I don't believe we've been introduced," Harry said as he approached the counter.

"Gregory, sir, Gregory Mendel."

"Gregory, it's very nice to meet you," Harry said as he held out his hand. "This is my wife, Ginny, and our son James."

"A pleasure to meet you all, sir, ma'am," the clerk said as he shook hands with Harry, his eyes still wide and a slight tremor in his voice.

"Are you alright, Gregory?" Ginny asked.

"What? Oh, just fine, ma'am."

Harry looked at Gregory and could feel the anxiety and tension pouring off him and a thought occurred.

"Is Mr. Weasley anywhere about?"

"One moment, sir, I'll tell him you're here," the clerk said and hurried into the back of the store.

Harry looked at Ginny and as she began to say something he put a finger to his lips. George came out, alone, shortly after.

"Harry! Little sister! It's great to see you," George said as he came around the counter to shake hands with Harry and give Ginny and James hugs. "What brings you in?"

"We were getting James here his first broom and thought we'd stop in to say hello," Harry said.

"Ah, so it begins," George said as he tickled his nephew under the chin. "With you two as parents he'll likely be flying in a day and doing tricks in a week."

"I think we'll try and take it slower than that, if you don't mind, big brother," Ginny said.

"George, if you don't mind my asking," Harry said, "what have you been telling your clerk about me."

George looked at Harry in surprise and said,

"What do you mean, Harry?"

"Please, George, don't go all innocent on me. His eyes practically jumped out of his head and I could feel how anxious he was, despite all his politeness. Out with it," Harry said in his best copper's voice.

"Wellll," George replied, "I may have mentioned something to the effect that with all the time he was spending with Gabi, he might want to keep in mind that she was a particular favorite of yours, much like a little sister in fact, and he should be careful how he behaves. Something along those lines."

"Oh, well thank you so very much. Why would you think to say that, George?"

"Partly because I can never resist the opportunity to pull someone's leg, but more so because Gabi has become a very valued member of the company and she's a nice kid so I wouldn't want to see anything happen."

"So you waved me in front of him for some fun," Harry said shaking his head. "Would you please have him come out here?"

"Gregory, out front, if you please," George called out.

The young clerk hurried out to the counter, smiling slightly but obviously still anxious.

"Gregory," Harry began, "I understand the Mr. Weasley has suggested certain consequences at my hands should anything unpleasant occur regarding your relationship with Gabrielle Delacour."

The clerk looked at his boss and then back at Harry.

"It's okay, Mendel. I've already told him," George said, with a smirk.

"Um, yes, sir, Professor. He said I should be on my best behavior around Gabrielle or else you'd hunt me down and disassemble me down to my shoes," the young man replied.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head, giving his brother-in-law and partner a 'look'. Then he waved Gregory out from behind the counter and with an arm around his shoulder walked him to the far side of the shop and spoke to him in low tones. A few minutes later they shook hands and Harry walked back to stand by Ginny while Gregory took his place behind the counter again.

"Thanks for the interesting morning, George. Make sure you let us know if you need any help moving into the new house," Harry said.

"Saturday, two weeks from today. We'll let you know the details. And it's always a pleasure making your day just that much more fun, Harry," George said with a laugh as he shook Harry's hand.

Once they were outside the shop Harry turned to Ginny and said,

"I can't imagine what it must be like having to work for that jokester every day."

"I imagine it could be quite a trial," Ginny said, "but I think a lot of times he's forcing it. Angelina told me not long ago he can get very quiet for long periods of time. I don't think he's really over Fred's death."

"I can't imagine he'd ever really be over it. For twins as close as they were it must be like losing a very big piece of yourself."

"I think you're right, sweetheart," Ginny said quietly. "By the way, what did you say to that boy? He seemed to be in a much better mood after you were done."

"I just explained that I wasn't quite the wild eyed maniac George probably told him I was and I was sure that Gabi would appreciate it if he wasn't always on his best behavior. I did mention I had my limits but I understood how relationships go and I wasn't going to blast him to nothingness the first time I heard that Gabi was pouting or something."

"Well done you, Harry," Ginny said with a bit of a wicked grin. "Fleur had mentioned that Gabrielle was wondering why he was always so proper around her. I think it was starting to bother her."

Harry laughed and with James walking between them they made their way at a leisurely pace to the Cauldron for lunch. Abagail was in stitches when she heard about what George had told Gabrielle's boyfriend.

"You know, I was wondering why he was acting that way. They had been seeing each other for over a month and it seemed to be going well and then all of a sudden he got, oh, I don't know, uptight I guess they say. I'm sure Gabi will be in a much better frame of mind after this. Well done you is right, Harry," she said.

During the discussion Angus had been looking at Harry with a bit of a worried expression on his face. Harry had noticed and said to him.

"Don't give it a thought, Angus. I'm not nearly so ferocious. Besides, I'm sure our Abagail would do more terrible things to you than I could ever imagine if you got her upset."

The young genius' eyes bugged a bit as Abagail sputtered her indignation. Ginny was doing all she could to keep from laughing while Harry just smiled.

On Monday as he walked the short distance to the school, Harry was glad to have had a generally relaxing weekend. He had spent some time working on grading the project reports and as had happened each time he had done so since they were handed in, he became irritated at the way he had been treated by the Headmistress. Fortunately this last time the annoyance was heavily tempered by the other events of the weekend, including seeing James drift along on his little broom with his mother walking alongside, whispering encouragement and brief instructions. This thought clearly put a smile on his face. This lasted precisely as long as it took to get to his classroom where he found a note on his desk to come see the Headmistress during his free period. His smile evaporated because regardless of the Head's intentions for this meeting, he had things of his own that he intended to discuss with her. His free period wasn't until after lunch so he had to concentrate to make sure he didn't shortchange his students in the morning and he passed up having lunch in the Great Hall, his appetite having mostly deserted him. At the appointed time he approached the statue guarding the staircase up to the Head's office and it swung away allowing him to enter. He knocked on the office door and after hearing the muffled 'enter' he swung the door in and walked into the office.

"You wished to see me, Professor McGonagall," he said as a statement.

"Yes, please be seated and thank you for coming so promptly. I was wondering, Professor, if you've had a chance to consider the situation regarding your 'Applied Magic' course and the project work that your students did this year?"

"Yes, ma'am. I've considered it from several different angles and I still believe that the idea of discontinuing the course and infusing it's principles into the other relevant classes is the best way forward. I believe this would expose the most students possible to the ideas and concepts we would like to promote," he replied in a serious, professional tone. "As to the project I think we could let that stand on its own. If you wish to broaden its impact, as I surmise you might, it might be an idea to make it part of the overall sixth year program. The students are done with OWLs, and this would give them an interesting academic challenge before they have to worry about their NEWTS."

"That sounds intriguing, Professor. However, without the structure of the Applied Magic course how would the projects be administered?" the Headmistress asked.

"I only devoted short periods of classroom time to the projects once they were selected. We could orchestrate around free periods or evening sessions every few weeks to allow for questions, guidance, oversight, however you wish to describe it, and if I'm here the usual two nights a week that would also allow time for them to get assistance," he concluded.

Professor McGonagall nodded and regarded him over the tops of her glasses. Then she said,

"That sounds like it could well be the way to approach it, Professor. I'll consider the idea and we can discuss it further."

"Thank you, ma'am. If that's all regarding the projects I would like to discuss another subject, if I might."

"Certainly, what have you in mind?"

"I'd like to discuss the subject of your relieving me of one of the fundamental responsibilities of a teacher. While I might be able to understand the reasons for your decision I can't agree with them, nor accept the manner in which you acted. If we can't come to a suitable resolution on this matter, I may well have to reconsider my commitment to Hogwarts," he said.

The Headmistress continued to regard Harry over her glasses and then said,

"You would leave the school over this, Professor?"

"If the facts of this incident become common knowledge here, it would seriously undermine my position and make it very difficult to maintain the proper relationship with the students. And if a may be permitted to say, I consider it an affront to my professional capabilities, not to mention the implications personally," he finished, his green eyes fixed on the Professor.

Professor McGonagall tapped on the top of her desk with one finger, her expression neutral. Then she sat up a bit straighter and said,

"I can say that I appreciate your position regarding this matter, Professor. In all ways I can assure you that I and the rest of the faculty and staff consider you a consummate professional. As I have mentioned before the concern was for you personally. But I must concede it might have been handled better. I think I can agree that in the future, if there is one, that should such concerns arise again we will endeavour to manage them in a less contentious manner."

"I would appreciate that, ma'am. Thank you."

"Have you anything else?" she asked.

"No, ma'am, I think that covers it."

"Fine. To conclude, let me say that I appreciate your forthrightness, Harry. It does no one any good to let such matters fester," she said as she stood, as did Harry. "And one more thing, please remember that first, last and always, my concern is for the well being of all the members of Hogwarts school, all of them."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said, and then he offered his hand which she took, then he turned and left the office.

When the office door closed the Headmistress looked to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, who had remained silent through the entire exchange. He looked back and said,

"You handled that well, Minerva."

"Thank you, Albus. This has been a most difficult episode, most difficult indeed."

"I understand all too well. However, we have such plans for that young man and he needs to start reasserting himself. At times I think he was done a great disservice by that run in with Dr. Parsons. Everyone, ourselves included, have been treating him like an egg with a brittle shell ever since. It was most fortuitous that Professor Weasley had raised his concerns when he did. I was thinking we weren't going to get the chance to push the boy anytime soon," Dumbledore said and then chuckled. "You see, I do it still, referring to him as a boy."

"It's difficult, isn't it? We've watched him grow up since he was a baby and seen all that he could do and has done and yet we find it difficult to accept he is a grown man with a family of his own," the Headmistress said quietly. "Yet we must."

"Yes," Dumbledore replied, "indeed we must."


	32. Chapter 32

Professor Potter, Chapter 32

Harry sat with his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He was leaning back on his elbows, his eyes closed. He had tried sitting in the classic lotus position like he had see in a muggle book once but when he tried to get his left knee past ninety degrees it began to protest. He was enjoying the feel of the warmish breeze coming in off the ocean and the sound of the waves breaking against the base of the cliffs. He was sitting in the grass in front of Shell Cottage about half way to the edge of the cliffs.

It was the Saturday after his meeting with Professor McGonagall and he was feeling somewhat satisfied with how things had worked out. He wasn't sure if his threat to leave Hogwarts was really genuine but he couldn't see how he could maintain the proper student/teacher relationship if he had to worry about being undercut by the Head. He also noticed that having cleared the air he wasn't prone to getting irritated when he was grading the other projects.

At the invitation of Fleur, he and Ginny and James had come for a visit at the cottage. It was getting close to the point that Ginny wasn't going to be Disapparating until after the baby was born. Harry found himself drawn outside by the sound of gulls crying. He saw two bobbing and weaving in the breeze, sometimes moving about and other times just hovering, balancing the combination of lift and drag to maintain position. After a while they both turned and dove out of sight below the edge of the cliff. Now he was just listening to the sounds around him when he got that itch on the edge of his awareness that told him someone was close.

"Hello again, Fleur," he said, without opening his eyes.

"Mon Dieu, 'arry. 'ow do you do that? You can't 'ave smelled my perfume."

"No, but I could feel someone approaching and anyone else would have said something as they walked up," he replied.

He did look over as Fleur came to sit at this side, pulling her legs up in front of her so she could rest her arms on her knees as she looked out towards the sea. Harry could see a small smile on her face.

"I see you 'ave deescovered one of my favorite places, 'arry. Beell and I used to come out 'ere to watch the sky change colors as the sun set. Now weeth the leetle ones we 'ave to be more careful. We all stay een the rear garden these days. Once they are older and understand the need to be careful about the cleeff we can seet out 'ere again."

"I like to feel the breeze on my face and hear the gulls and the waves," Harry said. "I was watching two gulls earlier riding the breeze. It was amazing, the way they could balance everything to just be able to hover."

"I 'ave seen you 'over in one place several times, 'arry."

He nodded, more to himself and said,

"I thought about changing and joining them, but it wouldn't be the same. They do it so well because it's their nature to do it. Me, it would be about magic."

"'ow do you mean, mon ami?" she asked.

"A gull flies the way it does because that's the way nature made it. A dragon isn't designed to fly like that. The body is too big and heavy for the wings to hold it up, let alone get it airborne. It's a magical creature and the magic is what allows it to fly. I'm glad it works that way, but there's something special about the way a bird does it."

Now it was Fleur's turn to nod her head. Then she looked over at Harry, seeing the quiet, contented look on his face. She smiled and asked,

"'ow are you feeleeng otherwise, 'arry?"

"I'm doing well, Fleur. Didn't you ask me that when we first arrived?"

"Yes, but that was more out of courtesy, 'arry, although I deed want to know. Now I am askeeng seriously," she asked.

"I'm fine, Fleur. Things were a bit difficult for a while the last month or so but I think I got some resolution this past week. Beyond that I can't complain. Everyone is healthy and happy," he said, finishing with a shrug.

She looked at Harry steadily and then said,

"Beell and I 'ad a talk a few days ago. 'e told me about what 'ad 'appened weeth your students' project."

"Ah, well, yeah, that's what caused the problem I mentioned. But like I said I think I got it straightened out," Harry said.

"Yes, that's what 'e said. You 'ad a deescussion with the 'eadmeestress, yes?"

"That's right. It's was a pretty frank conversation about how I felt. I know she thought she was doing the right thing but…" he let it tail off.

"Per'aps, 'arry, but it was most certainly not the right theeng."

"How do you mean?" he asked, curious to know what Fleur was thinking.

"You are not the leetle boy that 'agrid pulled out of that blasted 'ouse. You are not the teen-ager who collapsed in Gryffindor tower. You are a young man who 'as led, taught and fought dark wizards and dragons and who ees more than able to stand on 'is own two feet. I know eet, you know eet, and they should know eet, too," she replied.

Harry looked over at his 'big sister' with an odd look on his face. Then he said,

"That sounds a little strange coming from you, Fleur. You've been watching over me like a mother dragon since the day after Voldemort died."

"Watching, yes, 'arry. But 'ave I ever once told you what you should do? 'ave I ever stepped een and deed for you what you could do just as well for yourself?" she said, her blue eyes fixed on his of green.

Harry thought back to the many times he and Fleur had interacted, usually at the most critical times of his life, and he could recall her talking to him, often with an arm around his shoulder, in low tones. Even during their 'big dustup' as he recalled, she simply questioned his motives for his self deprecating attitudes and then watched as he railed about his fears. She did say she thought his fears were stupid but she didn't tell him to stop being afraid, just that there was no reason to be. He couldn't recall a time when she ever actual told him to do anything, except maybe to get some sleep at one time or other.

"Now that you mention it, no, I guess you haven't. You listen, you console, you soothe, but I can't remember you ever interfering in that way," Harry said.

"A man, weezard or not, must stand on hees own, mon frere'," she said with a smile as she gracefully rose from the grass and brushed herself off, then offered her hand. "And you must stand now for lunch ees ready."

Harry took her hand and stood up, using his own legs to do so. She slipped her arm in his and they began walking back toward the cottage when he heard a gull screech. He looked back over his shoulder to see a large one holding position and then rolling over to dive straight toward the surf below. It must be a fine thing to be a bird, he thought.

June arrived in a blaze of sunshine. Harry had returned the graded project reports to his students and was now heavily involved in helping them prepare for their NEWTs. Since his course didn't have one associated with it, he did what he could to help his seventh years get ready for the others where he had the expertise. He was also working with his young DADA and Transfiguration students to prep for their exams. It was a busy time and gave Harry little time to give much more thought to what had transpired concerning the Ravenclaw students' project.

What thought he could spare mostly centered on what Bill had told him the Monday after the visit to Shell Cottage. Harry had mentioned that Fleur told him she knew about what had happened because Bill had told her. Bill actually flinched a bit at the memory. He told Harry,

"I'm not sure what was the bigger error, Harry. Telling the Headmistress about my concerns and getting the whole mess started or telling Fleur about it after you had confronted Professor McGonagall. I swear it could have snowed inside that cottage it got so cold. I'm used to her going off into extended rants in French when she's mad about something but this was so different. Her words were precise, clipped and very, very calm. I've broken curses and faced dark creatures of all sorts when I was working for Gringotts, Harry, and nothing got to me more than having those blue eyes drilling into me that night."

"I'm sorry about that, Bill," Harry said.

"Why? Like I said, it was my own fault for bringing it up in the first place. But I guess I did deserve it. But to be honest, Harry, I don't think I really thought the Head would take that report from you. I was thinking we might have to keep an eye on you in case one of those old dark moods came back," Bill replied.

"I guess when you get to a certain age it's hard to remember that the people you first knew as children are now grown up and able to take care of themselves," Harry offered.

"True, Mum still doesn't hesitate to try and get me to cut my hair and wear clothes more 'fitting to my station as a professor' as she puts it," Bill said, smiling ruefully.

Harry smiled a bit and shook his head as he thought back on this conversation as he sat at his accustomed place at the Gryffindor table fielding questions and requests for help from various students. He looked up and smiled more when the tall, for a first year, figure of Anton DuBonais approached.

"Evenin', suh. Could ah have a moment of ya time?"

"Of course, Mr. DuBonais, how can I be of help?"

"Ah'm a little worried 'bout de exam fuh Transfiguration. Ya know de trouble ah been havin'."

"Yes, I'm well aware," Harry replied.

All year, the young wizard-in-training had no problem whatsoever in getting the object he was working on to change the way Harry instructed, on a gross level, but in the finer details some strange anomalies were appearing. Colors and shapes had some subtle variation from what was intended. Harry had consulted with both the Headmistress and Professor Dumbledore and they were as perplexed as he was.

"Try not to be too concerned, Mr. DuBonais," Harry said. "The first year exam isn't all that heavy on the practical, just a small item or two. I think I'd like to have you talk to Abagail. I'm willing to bet it has something to do with how you visualize things combined with your, how shall I say, unique cultural background."

"Ok, suh. I know mama says all kinds o' good t'ings 'bout Miss Westwood. Don't know 'bout de othah part. How do you t'ink different den how yas was raised?"

"It certainly is possible, but it takes a lot of time and effort. The time you have, the effort we'll work on together. Try not to let it bother you too much, or distract you from your other courses. I'll talk to Abagail tomorrow and see what we can arrange in the next couple of days," Harry said.

"Yes, suh, and thank ya, suh."

"My pleasure."

When Harry got home the next afternoon he didn't have to go looking for Abagail, she was waiting for him and she flew at him in a way he hadn't seen in quite a while. As she was hugging him he couldn't make out what she was trying to say so he had to untangle her arms and push her back a bit.

"Alright, I can sense your happy about something," he said with grin, "what's going on."

"Angus got the job, Harry. He got the message this morning. They want him to report first thing Monday morning. Apparently they have a mess of coded files that they found and they can't figure them out. They think his abilities with patterns and what he demonstrated during his interview makes him a good fit to work on them. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"Hey, all I did was get him in the door. He did the rest," Harry replied.

"Maybe, but getting him in was a big part of it," she said through a big smile.

"I'm glad it worked out for him. Now, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Anything."

"Mrs. DuBonais' son Anton is having trouble with transfiguring. He can get the object right, more or less, but there's some funny little differences that appear. I was hoping maybe there was something in how he's visualizing the item he's trying make that you might be able to help him with."

"Absolutely, Harry, I'd be happy to. When and where?"

"Tomorrow, right after lunch. He has a free period."

"I'll be there. Mrs. DuBonais has told me a lot about him so I think I might be able to figure it out."

"Thanks. By the way, how has it been going with his mom?" Harry asked.

"It's been very, very interesting, Harry. They come from such a different culture. If you didn't know better you'd make the mistake to think it was all so dark. But it's not. There's so much there that has to do with life and art and music. And she's been really digging in to all the information she can find on potions and the like. It's been great being a part of it."

"I dunno, little one, I think we're going to need to think about setting you up as a professional tutor," Harry said with a smile.

Abagail just laughed and then took hold of his hand in both of hers and walked him towards the dining room where the table had been set for six. Ginny was getting James settled into his chair and Angus was standing off to one side, as if awaiting Harry's arrival. When Harry walked in the young wizard stepped forward and offered his hand. He was actually smiling.

"Thank ye, Professor," was all he said, however.

"I was happy to do it, Angus. Good luck."

Angus nodded and then let Abagail show him to a seat. Harry looked at Ginny.

"I assume this is a celebration to mark Angus' success?"

"You assume correctly, sweetheart. You may not have noticed, being the busy man that you are, but these two have been barely breathing for the last couple of weeks waiting for word from the Ministry. It was astounding that someone who talks so softly and someone who barely talks at all can make so much noise. Poor Snuffles didn't know what was going on so he decided to join in with some spirited barking," she said, rolling her eyes a bit.

Harry looked across the table at Abagail who was sitting herself down and he said,

"You know, I've always meant to ask you about that, little one. On several occasions now I've either heard you, or heard someone mention, you yelling. How is that possible for someone who can barely speak above a whisper?"

She just shrugged and said,

"I dunno, Harry. How is it that some people speak with a heavy accent of some kind and then when they sing the accent disappears? Or speak softly and have a booming voice when they sing. Maybe I don't shout at all and it all comes from up here," she said pointing to the side of her head.

"Well, now that Angus is officially part of the Mysteries Department he can make a study of the phenomenon," Harry said with a small smile.

"Um, excuse me, but weren't you the one who once threatened the entire Mysteries Department with wholesale destruction if they so much as looked at me funny?" Abagail asked.

"That is true, now that you remind me. I suppose it still holds true, too," he said as he shifted his gaze over to Angus, whose eyes had gone very wide.

"Oh, stop looking like that," she said, jabbing the boy in the ribs with her elbow. "He's not going to do anything to you.

Harry smiled and gave that slow dragon wink. The two just laughed in return but the look on Angus' face suggested he wasn't one hundred percent convinced. He was well aware of Harry's potential for devastation and that was based entirely of what he knew of his host in only his human form. The food soon began to arrive and the discussion turned to the more mundane, if they could be called such, matters of Angus' working and living arrangements and his ability to contribute to the research project.

"I hope you'll still have time to continue working on the Tome project, Angus," Harry said.

"Oh, aye, Professor. Ai'll work it oout."

"How about you, Harry, you haven't had much to do with it lately, have you?" Ginny asked.

"I know, and I'm feeling a little guilty about it. With the summer break coming up I'm sure I'll be able to spend more time on it, although I'm probably the least qualified to figure any of it out."

Ginny gave him a 'look' but didn't pursue it. The remainder of the meal passed quietly and Harry settled into his chair in the library as the others went about their business. The pace had been pretty intense at school as exams approached and the projects were completed and he was starting to feel fatigued. He was genuinely looking forward to the summer and the week vacation they had planned for the south of France at Fleur's aunt and uncle's seaside house. He settled back in his chair and closed his eyes and just let his mind drift. He must have dozed off because he became aware of that gray 'other place' that he had come to know. It wasn't long before a familiar looking figure walked out of the swirling mist. Were it not for the eyes he would thought he was looking at himself.

"Hello, Harry."

"Hello, Dad."

"I was beginning to worry I wouldn't get a chance to talk to you anytime soon," James said with a bit of a grin. "Your mother keeps me up to date with your conversations, of course, but I was hoping for one of my own."

"I don't get much chance to nap like this these days, Dad. Usually I just fall right into a deep sleep."

"I know. I do get to see what's going on for the most part. I have to say, you've really done very well for yourself, son. I couldn't be prouder."

"Thanks, Dad."

"I'm especially proud of how you've avoided my less noble character traits," James said with a bit of a laugh. "I was quite the proper oik, wasn't I?"

"In a word, yes. But you did outgrow it. Otherwise you'd never have married Mum," Harry said.

"Too true. And better motivation to change a man has never had. But getting back to you, I wanted to say to you that you need to be careful, son. You've got an awful lot going on in your life right now. It can all be very distracting. There are things going on in the world that you need to be aware of. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what they are. What I can say is that if you look beyond yourself and don't let the daily details distract you too much, you'll recognize them when you'll need to," James said and then looked around before leaning forward and in almost a whisper said, "And above all else, don't let the women in your life make things too difficult for you. They'll do it out of love but it amounts to the same thing. Keep a clear head and a sharp eye. We'll talk again soon. Be well, son."

"So long, Dad. I will, thanks," Harry replied as he watched his father turn and walk back into the mists.

He remained in that quasi-dream state for a while longer, waiting to see if anyone else was going to put in an appearance but no one did. Finally, he willed himself awake and after blinking a bit his vision focused and he noticed Ginny was now sitting at the desk, writing.

"Hello, love. I didn't see you come in," he said.

"I noticed that. You looked like you were having a nice little nap and I tried not to disturb you."

"Thank you. I may turn in early tonight. This last month or so is starting to catch me up. I think my first few days in the south of France are going to be spent sleeping," he said.

"I wouldn't count on that. With James so much more mobile I have the feeling you two are going to be spending lots of time playing on the beach."

"If we do, it'll be in the morning when the sun isn't so hot. The afternoons will be nap time for the both of us, you wait and see," Harry said with a laugh.

True to his word it was less than half an hour later that he was in bed and sound asleep. It was sleep he was going to need for the following week was OWLs and NEWTs and then the next would be exams for the rest of the students. Final reviews occupied each of the classes now with most of his individual attention going to the fifth and seventh years prepping them for their critical tests. As was often the case there were a few students who wound up in Madame Pomfrey's care for what was generally referred to as a 'case of nerves'. Harry had noticed that despite the boy's concern about his Transfiguration performance, Anton DuBonais appeared very calm and relaxed. When Harry remarked about it, the youngster said,

"Calm like a de duck on de pond, suh."

"How do you mean, Mr. DuBonais?"

"De duck looks all calm floatin' along, but underneath, he's jist paddlin' those little feet like crazy. Dat's me. Calm out heah, but paddlin' like crazy in heah," he said, pointing to the side of his head.

"Paddle away, but I'm sure you'll do just fine," Harry said as he sent the boy on his way.

So it was that Harry was happy to be home Friday evening. It was a frantic day of last minute answers to questions and giving tips on how to approach the exams, especially the DADA NEWT, as his own stellar performance for that test was approaching legend status amongst the students. He enjoyed his dinner but knew it was going to be an early night, because he had plans for the following morning to do something he had promised himself he would do but something always seemed to get in the way.

The next morning found him outfitted in jeans, a light jacket, and sturdy hiking boots. He also had a water bottle and walking stick. He was heading for the Forbidden Forest for a bit of a walk about that he had hoped to do all year long. Now he had finally made the decision to go. After a healthy breakfast, by his standards at least, he used the Floo Network to get to Hogsmeade and he walked across the Hogwarts grounds to get to the trail by Hagrid's hut. The hut was quiet so he assumed his friend was off on his own business so Harry plunged into the forest.

This was a new experience for Harry. Although he had been into the forest a number of times in the past this was the first when he didn't have a specific objective in mind. There was no planned meeting with the Centaurs, no life or death struggle to engage in. He was free to walk and wander as he chose, to look and listen and learn where he could and just enjoy the forest. He did make sure that he had his wand readily available, just in case. The day was warm but not uncomfortably so and the air under the trees was still, with just a hint of humidity. He was on the usual trail that led to the circle where he often meet with Bane and Ronin but he had noticed several times in the past a small path that led off to the right, perhaps a hundred yards before the circle. He intended to see where it led.

Harry was perhaps a half an hour into his trek when he resolved that he needed to do more of this. And not just here in the forest. He knew that there were plenty of places he could go for hikes around the country. He was thinking along these lines when he felt that faint tickle on the edge of his awareness. There was someone or something out there and they were getting closer. He switched over from woolgathering to watchfulness. He didn't feel any particular apprehension but someone was definitely out there. Finally he stopped and shut his eyes. He began to work his way through the various types of creatures that might be in the forest and finally when he imagined a Centaur whatever facility that allowed him to track a snitch in a snowstorm brought the image of three Centaurs, juveniles by the look of them and it 'felt' like they were off to his left and slightly behind.

He was certain they meant him no harm but he also knew that juvenile Centaurs were not supposed to be this close to the edge of the forest without adult supervision. He slowly turned and faced in the direction that he was sure they were and called out.

"Hello there. Would you care to step out here and introduce yourselves?"

Nothing. No movement, no acknowledgement.

"You may as well come forward. I know that you three youngsters are out there. You needn't be concerned, you are herdmates after all," he said, hoping to encourage them.

He thought he heard some voices and then footsteps, or hoof steps, coming toward him. From a space between some low undergrowth and a large tree came three Centuars, two males and a female, indeed juveniles looking both apprehensive and awestruck. Harry had to smile to himself. They looked so much like their human counterparts who had been discovered someplace where they weren't supposed to be.

"Good morning, young friends. My name is Harry Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The three youngsters looked nervously at each other as they closed the distance to Harry until they were perhaps ten feet apart. Even though they were young they were still a fair bit taller than Harry but that advantage was doing nothing for their confidence at the moment. One of the males finally said,

"Good morning, Serpent King."

"I would not have thought to see any younger members of the herd so close to the edge of the forest," Harry said mildly.

The three appeared increasingly uncomfortable, looking down at the path, nervously shifting their hooves in the dust. Harry had to struggle to maintain his composure because he knew if he smiled, or worse, laughed, the three would be humiliated.

"We had not intended to venture so far afield, Serpent King, but we overheard one of the adults say you were seen entering the forest and we became curious," the female said.

"I see. Might I know your names?" he asked.

"I am Melena, Serpent King," said the female.

"Talin," replied the first male.

"Artimen," answered the second.

Harry looked more closely at the female, who began to blush under his scrutiny. Then he said,

"You bear a strong resemblance to someone I met a few years ago. Felena was her name."

"My elder sibling, Serpent King. You would say my sister. She has spoken to me of your meeting," Melena replied.

"The care she showed for my broom was greatly appreciated. Please pass along my regards should you choose to speak of our meeting here today," Harry replied, knowing the three would be torn between wanting to speak of their meeting the Serpent King and the admission of having gone beyond their normal boundaries. "If you feel that your curiosity has been satisfied perhaps you should think about returning to your usual haunts."

"It will be as you say, Serpent King. Fare thee well," Melena replied and the three turned and made their way back in amongst the trees.

Harry watched until he was sure they had gone some distance and then began walking along the path again. He had gone perhaps a hundred feet when he looked over to his left and said,

"And good morning to you, old friend."

He heard a snort of sorts and a larger figure drifted out from the shadows under the trees. It was the Centaur Ronin.

"Old, Serpent King?"

"Simply a term of respect, with a touch of humor, perhaps not so well applied. How are you faring these days, Ronin?"

"Well, Serpent King, and you?"

"Quite well, all things considered, Ronin, but the past month has been very hectic. So I decided a walk in the forest would be a good idea," Harry replied.

"A wise choice, friend Harry Potter, it is a fine day. I must also compliment you on your handling of the three young ones. They were quite surprised that you were aware of their presence."

"I have resources I can call on that they most likely aren't aware of. I was more concerned that if they continued to trail me like that, they'd get themselves into serious trouble," he said.

"You were correct in that surmise, Serpent King. The outer boundary of what we consider safe for the young ones is close at hand, but they had already passed the normal bounds that we set for them."

"Safe? I thought the giant spiders were further to the north. Have they spread this far?"

"No, in fact their range diminishes each year as their numbers do likewise. While Aragog still lived they remained under control and stayed within strict boundaries. On occasion one would stray too close and we would have to slay it. After Aragog died they began to wander further afield but at the same time they began to attack each other. We had to kill quite a few but we rarely see them now. No, friend Harry Potter, there are other hazards that the young would not be prepared to meet. Hazardous plants, predatory beasts, treacherous terrain."

"Maybe I shouldn't be roaming around out here then," Harry said.

"I would not be concerned, Serpent King. As you stand here you are the most formidable creature in the forest. In your other form…," Ronin simply shrugged. "That which allowed you to discern the presence of the three youngsters will keep you from being surprised by any other creature that might take an interest in you."

Harry found Ronin's assessment of his standing within the hierarchy of the forest a bit surprising but moderately reassuring.

"I will leave you now, Serpent King. Remain aware and you will encounter no problems, I judge. You may encounter others of the herd during your journey. Fare thee well."

"Fare well, Ronin."

The big Centaur faded quietly back into the shadows and Harry continued on his way. Taking Ronin at his word he kept his eyes and ears open, and let that special sense of awareness sweep the area around him as he walked along. He could see and hear all manner of insects that were stirred up by his passing. Bird calls were frequent but sightings few. He thought he sensed one or two larger animals off in the deeper brush but they never approached. The trail had been taking a more or less southeasterly track which would take him past the castle and towards Hogsmeade.

Eventually he came upon a small game trail that struck off more to the west and back towards the castle. The overhead canopy of the trees was thick here and the shadows under the trees quite dark. He was perhaps a hundred yards along the narrow path when he picked up on a presence significantly larger than what he had sensed up till then. And it wasn't keeping its distance. As he walked along he could feel it closing in. He came to a stop and turned in the direction of where he thought the creature was. He heard a low rumbling growl and could tell whatever it was had come to a stop.

Inspired but what Ronin had said he directed his thoughts inward a bit and allowed a little of the dragon to surface. His hearing sharpened immediately, picking up the heavy breathing of the creature and his field of vision expanded vertically. In no more than a moment the heavy breathing turned into a startled yelp and the underbrush exploded with the sound of a heavy bodied animal crashing through at a run, away from where Harry stood. He waited for a moment or two to make sure whatever it was wasn't going to double back and then he willed the dragon back into the corner of his mind where it spent it's time while Harry walked on two feet.

With a nod and a small smile of satisfaction he continued his walk. It took about fifteen minutes before Harry noticed the increasing light and perceptible thinning of the trees. Another fifteen minutes brought him to the edge of forest and wide expanse of open lawn that was the southern end of the school grounds. He saw the train tracks and the village of Hogsmeade in the distance. He decided he'd cross over and go into town to have lunch at the Three Broomsticks and then head for home.

As he walked along under the strong late spring sun he thought back on what Ronin had said and what had occurred in the deep shadows of the forest. Was there something that he needed to consider in addition to what his father had told him? Did the wider world hold challenges, as well as opportunities, that he need to be aware of?


	33. Chapter 33

Professor Potter, Chapter 33

"DADDDYYYY! WHERE ARE YOUUUUU! PLEAAASSEE, TAAAKKEE MEEE HOMMME."

Harry's eyes shot open and the sound of the pleading, terrified voice faded from his mind. Or perhaps it was voices. As he lay there in his bed in his small apartment at Hogwarts he thought that there was a strange, multiple quality to the cry for help that had invaded his otherwise dreamless sleep. Looking at the small window told him it wasn't long before sunrise so he decided not to try and go back to sleep. He would be back at Meadow Crest later that evening and he could retire early. He fumbled for his glasses and then used his wand to light the lamps in the room. As he always did, the first thing he looked at was the painting of the house and then the magical photo of his family that had once hung in the little office he occupied at the Ministry. Everyone waved to him with smiles, except for Abagail, who kept her arms around his neck and her expression was more thoughtful.

He threw back the quilt and pulled himself out of bed. As he shuffled his way to his small bathroom and the shower therein he paused to take a closer look at the painting Abagail had done of the house at Meadow Crest and saw the small figure of his mother standing in the upstairs window. There was no movement but he knew she was watching over him. That thought helped dispel the chill of the plaintive wail that woke him. After he showered and dressed he was going to send off a message by owl to Milligan to ask him to do some digging. Something wasn't right and he was afraid if he didn't find out what was going on it would be tragic.

Fortunately he wasn't going to be able to dwell on it too much. It was exam week and he was going to be kept busy proctoring the exams for his various classes. He was also likely to spend some time going over the performance of those NEWT candidates that he had been coaching. Some students simply couldn't wait for the scores to arrive in July and they would try and divine some clue as to how they did by going over the exam with Harry. He was going to be hearing a number of variations of the question 'do you think I did this right?'.

He was especially interested to see how Anton was going to fare with his Transfiguration exam. Abagail had been working with the boy and had made several trips up to Hogwarts to see what she could do to help him. What she discovered was rather astonishing. After watching how the boy tried to get all the details of an object right, which weren't many, since a first year only worked with small, simple items, she had an idea. On her second visit she brought a small drawing kit with her along with a sketch pad. When he saw the kit he said,

"Ah ain't nevah been much o' an artist, Miss Abagail."

"That's fine, Anton," she replied with a soft smile, "just do the best you can. And you can just call me Abagail, alright?"

She asked him to draw several items that she had placed on the table in front of him. A small cup with a simple geometric design on it, an apple, and an eyeglass case she had borrowed from a student who was sitting further down the table. Anton worked diligently for an hour creating renderings of the three items, while Abagail sat silently watching him. About half way through the session she 'looked' at him in her special way and what she saw surprised her, but she said nothing. Finally, Anton looked up and said,

"Ah think dat's all ah can do, Abagail."

"You did just fine, Anton. I think with a little work you'd make a good sketch artist. Why don't you run along now? I'd like to look these over and discuss them with Professor Potter. And please don't be too concerned with your exam, I'm sure you'll do fine."

The boy nodded and left the table. A few moments later Harry walked over and sat down. He looked at the drawings, and the objects on the table. Then he looked at Abagail.

"Do you see it, Harry?" she asked softly.

"I'm not sure but it seems he did a fine job of drawing anything with curved lines but that geometric shape on the cup gave him a lot of trouble. He didn't draw a single angle or straight line."

"Exactly."

"Is it something to do with his hand-eye coordination, do you think?"

"No, Harry, that's actually quite good. In fact, he drew everything exactly as he saw it."

"How do you mean?" he asked, obviously confused.

"He started off with the apple and he did a very good job of it so when he began to draw the cup and the design on it and got that so wrong it made me curious so I took a look at him. I don't know why, but Anton doesn't see straight lines. To him everything is some variation on a curve. He actually does a very good job of drawing what he sees, he just doesn't see what is really there if it is straight or angular."

Harry sat back a little on the bench and looked at his daughter.

"You mean it's something like being dyslexic?" he asked.

"I don't know, Harry. Maybe your friend, Dr. Medford, could help you there. All I know is that he doesn't seem to be able to see things that are straight as straight," she finished with a little shrug.

As Harry set up the classroom that morning for the exam he had purposely selected two items that didn't have a straight line in them for the students to transfigure. He wanted to make sure he was giving everyone the same task, so as not to call attention to Anton and his situation. He was going to wait until after exams were done to bring it to his attention. He had selected a small figurine of a wizard with flowing robes as the firs object, to be turned into a small ball. The other was a sewing thimble to be changed into a small letter 'a' that could be used on a charm bracelet.

Harry conducted the practical portion at the end of the exam so that any poor results wouldn't serve as a distraction during the written. What he saw was quite encouraging. He felt the work that Abagail had done earlier in the year had been very helpful and as best he could remember the results were of a higher standard than his first year class. Anton's work wasn't perfect but it certainly put him in the higher rankings of the class. From the look on his face the boy felt good about his efforts as well. Later that day he took Anton aside to have a chat with him.

"I wanted to talk to you for a few minutes about the problem you've been having with some of your transfiguration work."

"Yes, suh. Did Miss Westwood find somet'ing out?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, she thinks so. It appears that you only have problems when the item has straight lines. Do you remember her having you draw some things?"

"Yes, suh."

"Well, it appears that you don't see the world like the rest of us do. You can't transfigure something accurately with straight lines or edges because you don't see them as straight."

"Suh?" the boy said, obviously confused.

Harry thought for a minute. How could he explain this? Then he had an idea.

"Try this. Close your eyes," Harry said, which the boy did.

On the table in front of him, Harry placed to knut coins. The he said.

"Anton, I've placed two coins on the table directly in front of you. Can you touch them?"

The boy reached out and touched the coins. Then Harry said,

"Now, with one finger I want you to move from one coin to the next in the shortest possible distance."

"Ya mean in a straight line, suh?" the boy asked.

"Exactly."

Anton placed one finger next to a coin and pulled it across to the other in a dead straight line.

"Very good, now think how that felt and then open your eyes and doing it again."

Anton sat for a moment and then opened his eyes and retraced the line, or so he thought. There was just a slight bow in the line his fingertip traced across the table. Harry looked at him and said,

"Did you feel the difference?"

"Um, somet'ing felt a little diff'rent, suh. I can't say 'xactly how, but diff'rent."

"That difference is the difference between a perfectly straight line and one that has a little bend in it. Abagail thinks that you see the world all in curves. No straight lines. We don't know why but that's what's causing your transfiguration to come out a bit off. I'm not sure what we can do about it, but right now it's not a major problem. I do know someone I can talk with to see how we might approach it. But at least now we know it's not about how well you can do magic."

"Well, dat is a blessin' den, suh. My thanks ta ya and ta Miss Westwood. Mebbe when de new term starts we'll know somet'ing," the boy said with some relief.

Harry nodded and was impressed with how well the boy took the news. He would contact Dr. Medford during the summer and see what help he might be able to offer.

The rest of the week went along fairly well. He did have to counsel a couple of overwrought students who were sure they failed their DADA NEWT miserably and were doomed to mediocre jobs instead of careers in Magical Law Enforcement. Harry thought otherwise, especially after he had them walk him through their tests. He was well aware of the perfectionist tendencies of these two individuals since he had them for the past three years in his Applied Magic course. Both, one a witch, the other a wizard, would fret over the slightest imperfection in an assignment or exercise. On more than one occasion they would confront him, respectfully of course, at the Gryffindor table when he had given them less than full marks on their work. He thought if these two were interested in a career in law enforcement, they were going to need to make some serious thought adjustments.

Inevitably the week came to an end, with only minor casualties. The exhausted NEWT and OWL students had had a full week to recover and the standard exams had inflicted only marginal mental and emotional wounds. Harry saw plenty of smiles, albeit tired ones, as he left the castle and made his way to the little house and the floo network trip home. When he was let in the back door by Kreacher he could hear that the house was in a bit of an uproar. He walked out into the corridor and heard two female voices coming from the living room. He poked his head in and found Ginny and Abagail engaged in an animated conversation.

"Ahem," Harry said loudly, "what are you two going on about?"

"Oh, Harry," Ginny said looking around at him. "We're just having a bit of a mother-daughter discussion but perhaps you can weigh in here. It seems that Abagail and Gabrielle have been hatching a plot that would have the two of them taking in the sights of Paris while we are on vacation."

Harry turned his attention to the diminutive witch who was trying to put up a brave front but he could see the nervousness around the eyes. He raised his eyebrows and waited.

"I don't see what the issue is, Harry. George gave Gabi some time off because she's been working so hard lately and she thought that with us already over there we could take a train ride to Paris and spend a couple of days seeing the sights."

"Two eighteen year old girls wandering around Paris, unchaperoned?" he asked.

"Young women, you mean," she countered.

Now the eyebrows pulled down and he folded his arms. He looked at her closely and said,

"And just what experience do either one of you young women have in spending any time in a large city, and Diagon Alley doesn't count."

"Welll, Gabi was in Paris once before," she said, but her tone said something was left unsaid.

"By herself?" he asked.

"Um," she began, then hesitated. "She was twelve and she was there with her parents," she finally admitted.

"I thought so. Under no circumstances will I agree to the two of you going off to Paris on your own. You want to go, you find an adult, and I mean one at least twice your age, to go along. We don't leave until Thursday so you have time to try and work it out. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," she replied.

Ginny and Harry watched as the girl left the room, obviously deflated. Ginny looked at her husband and said,

"Well done, Harry. I'm not sure if that was Professor Potter, Chief Potter or Dragon Harry coming through but it surely worked. I wasn't having any luck getting through to her."

"One of the difficulties associated with us being so close in age, I think. She probably sees you more like a friend or big sister at times like these," he said, sounding thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about, Harry?"

"A possible solution. I need to take a quick trip. I should be back in time for dinner."

"Alright, sweetheart, and thank you."

True to his word Harry was back in the house in time for dinner, which was a quiet affair. Abagail was looking rather unhappy but Harry made no attempt to draw her out. Instead he looked over at Ginny and said,

"I know we've been through this a few times, but are you sure that you want to go to the seaside at this stage of your pregnancy?"

"Harry, I'll be fine. I thought it through and talked to Mum and if I stay out of the sun in the afternoon I shouldn't have any problems. The house doesn't have any stairs and floating in warm water is a great way to take some of the stress off my legs and back from carrying this around," she said gesturing to her ever expanding stomach. "Besides, you can always float me around with a wave of your finger if I get too tired," she finished, smiling sweetly.

Harry laughed a bit and continued eating. It wasn't until Sunday morning that an answer arrived that provided a solution to the issue of Abagail's intended trip to Paris. Harry read the parchment and smiled. He happened to be sitting with Ginny at the breakfast table and he showed her the parchment. Her face lit up and she smiled broadly as she read and then she looked over at her husband and said,

"Genius, Harry, pure genius."

"Thank you, my love," Harry said and then he leaned back and added, "Nibs, would you do me a favor and go ask Abagail to come down here, please?"

"At once, Master Harry."

The little elf popped out of sight and returned a moment later.

"Miss Abagail is coming."

"Thanks, Nibs."

A few moments later Abagail shuffled into the kitchen wearing the time honored 'martyred teenage girl' expression and came to stand at the end of the kitchen table.

"You wanted to see me, Harry?"

"Yes, little one. I was curious if you've been able to come up with a chaperone for your trip to Paris?"

"Not really, Harry. I sent a message off to Gabi but I haven't heard back from her."

"Here," was all he said as he handed the recently arrived parchment to her.

She took the sheet and began to read. The expression on her face changed in a way that would remind the observer of the sun breaking through a bank of low rain clouds. Her eyes grew wide and she smiled broadly. With the parchment still in hand she darted to Harry's side and hugged him tight saying 'thank you' a number of times. Then she hurried over to Ginny and her thanks were mingled with apologies.

"Just remember, sweetheart," Ginny began, "if you let us in on these sorts of things there's a good chance we can help you out with them."

"I'll remember that," Abagail said and then she turned and dashed out of the room.

Harry looked across at Ginny and said,

"You know, Fleur deserves some of the credit. She was the one that pointed out her aunt and uncle lived in Paris. I'm not sure whose idea it was that Mrs. Delacour would join them there. This way they have free housing and not one, but three chaperones to keep an eye on them."

"Maybe, but it was your idea to go and see what you could work out. Like I said, my dear, genius," Ginny replied with a wink.

The end of year feast was Monday evening and Harry would spend Tuesday tidying up his classroom materials. It had been a tumultuous year in some ways but all in all it was ending on a high note. He had a short impromptu meeting with the Headmistress who said that she agreed with his idea for the project class and wanted it to start in the upcoming term. He was going to be down to just sixth and seventh years for Applied Magic and adding third year Transfiguration, plus his work with Bill on DADA. The idea was to also begin to throttle back on his involvement there but the final arrangement would be that he kept first years. Bill was going to take a leading role in the effort to integrate Harry's work into the other classes since Harry was becoming more involved in the exchange efforts and the general increase in international relations with Beauxbaton and the new school. The new school now had a name, "Cherno More Akademiya na Magic" which was Bulgarian for 'Black Sea Academy of Magic'.

She asked him if he would give some thought to how to structure the class in terms of meeting times and some of the other details they had originally discussed and send her a draft by the end of July. Harry thought this was fine and made sure he had a notebook and pen tucked into his luggage for the trip. He was also taking along a sheaf of parchment that Professor Slughorn had given to him that morning suggesting he read it and decide what should be done with it. It was a copy of material taken from the Old English section of the Tome and the title suggested using curses as defensive measures when protecting something good. Harry had the feeling Bill was going to be reading it next.

The feast was a joyous affair with all of Harry's favorites arrayed on the table in front of him. As usual he spent a fair amount of time looking out over the students, especially those that would be leaving. He had provided a number of letters of recommendation, including one each for the panicky DADA NEWT candidates. He also sent a separate message to Chief Maxwell regarding the two, indicating he thought they had the credentials academically and magically but if he chose to accept them, he'd need to consider their perfectionist personalities.

After the desserts were finished and the tables cleared Professor McGonagall went to the podium to give her closing remarks. She once again thanked the faculty, staff and students for the good showing they made during the visit by the foreign teachers. She wished good luck to the two students who would be heading for Beauxbaton for the next term and reminded everyone that they would be receiving two visitors and asked that they be treated well. And then it was over, with a 'dismissed' another school year had come to an end. Harry received a number of visitors from the graduating class wishing him farewell and those that had asked for and received letters, saying thank you. He missed breakfast the next morning because he had gotten an early start on his classrooms, hoping to be on his way by lunch time.

He received a visit from Firenze who wished him a good summer and suggested that if he came to the forest during that time to pay a visit, however briefly. On his way out he detoured to the cottage by the trees and said so long to Hagrid and pressed him to come for a visit or two during the summer. James would like to see his Unc'l Rub'us as he called him. He was able to extract a promise that Hagrid would be there for Harry's birthday, at the least. With that accomplished he made his way back to the little house in Hogsmeade and took the trip home.

"Da', get up."

The words touched on Harry's awareness but didn't get a quick enough response so they were soon followed by several tugs on his arm. His eyes opened and he turned his head and made eye contact with James, who was standing next to the couch in the living room of the seaside retreat where they were spending their week of vacation.

"Yes, James, what is it?"

"Time t' eat," the boy replied.

"Yes, Harry. Dinner is ready," Ginny called from across the room.

Harry sat up with some help from his son who was still tugging on his arm. Ginny was already seated and Nibs had started floating various bowls and platters to the table. His stomach grumbled loudly and he smiled sheepishly. Ginny looked over and laughed.

"Down, boy."

James towed Harry to the table, only to be scooped up by his father to be placed in a chair with a booster seat. Abagail wasn't there, having been met the previous day at the Paris train station by Gabrielle's aunt and mother. Gabi had taken the train ride with them and the two girls were all smiles as they waved Harry, James and Ginny on their way. When they arrived in Marseilles a private car service that catered to the magical community had taken them the rest of the way.

Harry sat down in a chair and began attacking his meal. About half way through the second helping he looked up and said,

"You think Abagail is doing alright?"

"I'm sure she's just fine. I'd imagine she's feeling a bit more constrained than she'd like but I'm sure she'll see and do plenty. The city will appeal to her artistic nature right down to her toes," Ginny replied.

"Not to mention the shopping opportunities," Harry offered.

"I would think that goes without question," she said, looking as if he had just stated the obvious.

It was intended that this be a complete relaxation trip. Everyone had seen Beauxbaton and with Ginny just into her seventh month, there was no desire to got traipsing about to sightsee. In the morning it was time to play in the water and on the beach and then as the sun got high in the sky and the temperature climbed they retreated to the covered deck and finally back into the house for late afternoon naps. James was having a fantastic time once he understood that his big sis would be along in another day or so. He delighted in building little structures in the sand only to have a small wave knock it down. He hunted for stones and shells with Harry and looked to have a fine collection to send home. Nibs would be called upon to transport the treasures back to Meadow Crest.

As expected Abagail and Gabrielle descended on the house around mid-morning the day of their return with a great deal of hugs and exclamations about what fun they had had. Abagail went on at great lengths about all the art she had seen around the city. She said she needed to come back next year so that she could make a complete tour of the Louvre since they only had part of a morning for this first visit. After a bit more conversation the girls said they wanted to get down to the water so they excused themselves and disappeared into the spare bedroom to change. When they emerged they were dressed in knee length beach jackets and were carrying towels. Harry and Ginny waved them off to the beach with Ginny saying,

"Watch out for the sun."

A few moments later Harry heard her say,

"Oh, my."

"What's the 'oh my' for, love?" he asked.

"Um, you may want to see this, Harry. Then again, maybe not," she replied.

Harry stood up and looked out of the large glass doors that lead out onto the deck. From there he could see the two girls as they began walking out into the water, pausing to kick up some spray to splash each other. Harry let out a groan and covered his eyes with one hand. Apparently the girls had done some shopping in Paris to include a swim wear shop. What they were currently wearing could best be described as 'barely there'. What little Harry saw, with the emphasis on 'little', involved mostly strings and knots, and not much else. He turned away from the glass door and said,

"My only consolation is that this isn't a public beach or I'd wear myself out with 'stupefy' and 'oblivate' spells."

"Oh, now, don't go on so, Harry. You know I'd pitch in and help you there."

They both started to laugh. This particular incident provided the one bump in an otherwise very relaxing week. What Harry didn't see was a conversation that took place between Ginny and the two bathing beauties later that day. By the time dinner was served they were back in shorts and shirts and no further mention was made.

By the time the trip was over and they were back at Meadow Crest, Harry was very relaxed and yet felt he had also managed to accomplish some important work. He had read the writings that Professor Slughorn had provided and decided he definitely wanted to get Bill's opinion on it, but he felt it had a very strong implication of 'the end justifies the means' and that was something he wasn't comfortable with at all. His use of the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix Lestrange bothered him even now. The other accomplishment was laying out the execution of the sixth year project class. He sent a draft off to the Headmistress the day after his return so it could be matched against the master class schedule.

With school done for the summer the subterranean research center became a much busier place. Nearly everyone involved, with the exception of Hermione and Angus, who still had their day jobs to deal with, was putting in a daily appearance. Professors Vector and Babbling were very excited with the strides that Angus had made over the school year. Specific words and grammar were shaping up and they were starting to be able to discern, if only at gross levels, the topics that were being written about with the pictographs.

One night during the week after returning from vacation the Potters were playing host to Bill and his family and he and Harry wound up in the living room talking.

"That treatise on the curses raises some very interesting issues, Harry," Bill said. "On the one hand you can't fault it for the basic information. Based on my own experiences, what he's recommended would be perfectly practical. However, the ethical dilemmas could be significant."

"I thought the same thing, but I think I know where he's coming from. There's something else that you probably should look at. It might help you understand the context. I'll be right back," Harry said as he got up.

He walked to the library and from a locked drawer in the desk he removed the essay that had been extracted from the jumbled writing that Professor Slughorn had given him a while ago. He carried it back to the living room and handed it to Bill. When Bill was finished he let out a low whistle and looked over at Harry.

"So this was directed at you?"

"I'd have to think so. We pieced it together from something that crafty old devil wrote that had four different essays mixed together. Abagail and Ginny wrote it out after we had put it together and they couldn't make anything out of it until I read it first. Somehow it was keyed to whoever was given the book."

"Aside from the responsibility it places on you, the implications about how we view the dark arts are rather profound. Earthshaking to be precise. What do you think?" Bill asked.

"I've always said that the magic user's intent is at the core of what we need to consider when we talk about responsibility and the like, but that there is absolutely no true dark magic is still a concept I'm trying to get my head around. Even my student who was researching that topic for her project was unable to come to a definitive answer."

"Sounds to me like that's one for the philosophers to answer," Bill mused.

Harry smiled a bit and said with a laugh,

"I wonder what cave we find them hiding in."

Several days later Harry received a visit from Deputy Chief Milligan. Harry was out in the front garden with James and Snuffles playing various games of catch, fetch and wrestling. When he saw the lanky figure appear on the path, he squinted and then stood up and walked over to meet him.

"Morning, Chief. Got some information for you," Milligan said by way of greeting.

"I was hoping you might. What's going on?"

"We are reasonably sure that something is going on and it doesn't appear to be anything good. We've uncovered reports of livestock and produce going missing from farms around the area of Durmstrang, more strange sightings, and while we can't confirm it yet there are some rumors floating about referring to missing children."

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Harry demanded.

"A couple of my sources have said that there are some rumors circulating around the small towns that are nearest to Durmstrang that several children have gone missing from outlying areas. I'm trying to get confirmation and I've asked if one or more of our animagi friends can get inside and see what they can find out," Milligan said, but Harry was only half listening, the other half was hearing the plaintive cries of children wanting to go home.


	34. Chapter 34

Professor Potter, Chapter 34

The dining room at Meadow Crest had taken on the look of a combat command center. A map was laid out on one end of the table while a small group of Aurors, the Special Tactical Squad, was assembled at the other. Deputy Chief Milligan and Evelyn Muntab had their heads close as they talked in low tones. Harry had been a part of the discussions for some time but now he was sitting back and taking the opportunity to observe what was going on. Since the day Milligan revealed to Harry the rumors that children had gone missing from the area around Durmstrang his unease about the childrens' pleading voices that had startled him awake had turned into full fledged anxiety. The first step had been to try and confirm the rumors. Milligan's law enforcement contacts, both magical and muggle, had finally been able to substantiate that at least six children had disappeared from villages or outlying farms in the region in recent weeks.

What concerned Harry somewhat was that the first reported disappearance didn't occur until weeks after the first episode of hearing the voice calling for his or her father. But that was something to be pondered afterwards. Once the disappearances had been verified, the animagi spies had been mobilized and the castle was closely observed. According to the reports received there were indeed six children, probably between the ages of seven and ten, being kept in a room on the top floor near the rear of the building. There were still a dozen or so adults, probably the 'faculty' and perhaps a dozen older students, looking to be in their mid to late teens. It was also concluded that the local magical law enforcement officials were either unable or unwilling to do anything and had requested assistance. That assistance was what was being planned now.

As Harry sat quietly the events of the previous week and a half began to play through his mind. The messages were literally flying back and forth. Aurors were taking trips to the hills surrounding the castle to observe and track the movements of the giant and what appeared now to be a full half dozen mountain trolls moving about the high ground. The Transylvania bat wizard, as Milligan had referred to him, was brought back to England and between his descriptions and the assistance of Abagail, a detailed map of the grounds and building had been produced. That map was the centerpiece of the planning effort.

It was agreed that the room would be easy enough to access from outside using brooms, as long as they weren't seen. All the spies agreed that no one spent any time in the room with the children when they were confined there, mostly at night to sleep. The door was guarded from the outside by either a teacher or one of the few remaining senior students. A window large enough to slip a child through was situated high on the back wall and the idea was to slip in one Auror who was barely larger than a child herself, but had proven to be incredibly tough, aggressive and more than willing to be the one to go in.

What they would need is a diversion to keep everyone's attention away from the small room, preferably to the front. Harry was going to provide that diversion, and then some. He indicated when the time was right he would hit the front with everything he had and that he might be able to arrange for some additional assistance. It would be tricky to keep his actions and that of his dragon self separate but he thought everyone else outside would be focused on the rear of the castle and he'd have the front to himself.

"Harry?"

"What? I'm sorry," he replied.

Ron was standing in front of his best friend and looking down at him.

"I think we've got it all set. Mr. Milligan and Ms. Muntab want to go over it again one last time."

"Alright," Harry said, shaking himself a bit and then he got up and went over to stand by the table where the map was laid out.

"Alright, everyone, listen up," Evelyn Muntab began. "We're going to go through this one more time from the top. We'll assemble on the edge of this small town about twenty miles to the west of Durmstrang. From there the rescue team will fly in and take up position on the north edge of the grounds. As soon as you hear the commotion start out in front of the castle, you head straight for this window," she said, pointing to the one providing outside access to the room.

"Check for signs of alarm spells and then, Richardson, you go in through the window and seal the door from the inside. Make sure you check before you commit to entry whether or not they posted someone inside. If so, take them down as quickly and quietly as you can. Once the door is sealed spell the children to keep them quiet. Levitate each one to the window where they can be removed, one to a broom. You follow the last one out, Richardson. In and out with the kids, that's it. Leave the door spelled and under no circumstances go out into the rest of castle. Your only mission concern is those kids.

"Professor Potter, sir, a green shower of stars will signal that we are free and clear with the children. Once that happens you can clear out or do whatever it is you feel necessary. A second strike team will be positioned in the hills to keep an eye out for those mountain trolls. They'll watch your back and won't leave until you do. Abagail will let us know if you get into any trouble and need our help."

Then Muntab looked over at Bill Weasley who had been standing behind several Aurors.

"Professor Weasely, are you sure you want to go along on this? They don't pay you to take these kinds of risks."

"I regard the idea of Defense Against the Dark Arts as more than a matter of academics. I don't see anyone here with a better knowledge of curses or how to break them. I'm going along."

"Glad to have you with us, Professor," she replied. "Alright, once the kids are out you fly them straight back to where we started out. Mr. Milligan and his local contacts will see to them getting home. Any questions? No? Good, okay, everyone get some rest, we leave at eight o'clock tonight."

Harry left the room and walked across to the library. He knew it would be easier to relax over the next few hours if he sat in his favorite chair. Now that the plans had been made and they were just waiting to execute them much of the anxiety of the last week and more had faded away. That dry voice in the back of his mind told him 'soon, very soon'.

He had his eyes closed when a different voice attracted his attention. He looked up and saw his mother standing in front of him. She was looking at him with a mixture of concern and pride.

"Harry, what you and the others are about to do is a very noble thing, but you will be in great danger tonight," Lily said.

"I wouldn't think so, mum. I've been there twice before and I didn't see anything I couldn't handle," Harry replied.

"No, Harry, I wasn't referring to a physical threat from the outside. You are in great danger from yourself. You will see and hear things that will likely anger you greatly, my dear. You must control that anger. Otherwise you may find it very difficult to live with the consequences."

"Thank you for the warning, mum. I have learned a thing or two about control in the past few years. I think I'll be alright," Harry replied.

"I hope so, son. Please be careful," Lily said, her expression still serious as she faded from view.

Harry looked at the spot where she had appeared for a few moments and said to himself,

"Well, so much for relaxing. Might as well go get something to eat, it's going to be a busy night."

While several of the others were sitting in the kitchen sipping tea, Harry finished off two plates of steak and kidney pie that Nibs had made for him. The little elf was a little sullen because despite the number of people in the house Harry was the only one who was eating. The rest were just making do with tea and a biscuit or two. Nibs also slipped a wrapped package on to the table beside Harry's plate. When Harry looked at it the little elf said,

"Master Harry may have need of this before this night is done."

Harry looked at the elf's serious expression and said,

"Thank you, Nibs. I'm afraid you may be right," and then slipped it into his robe's pocket.

Finally, Evelyn Muntab came in and said,

"It's nearly eight. Let's get assembled out front."

When Harry walked out, there were over a dozen Aurors plus Bill. Six for the strike team for the hills, seven for the rescue team, as well as Milligan and Muntab. The Squad leader said,

"Alright, from here on in it's the real thing. Make your Disapparation jumps per the plan. They're intended to minimize fatigue. Also, make sure your group is together before you begin the next move. Professor Potter will start things off. When he starts making noise the rescue team goes in and not a moment sooner. Good luck. Off you go."

The six members of the strike team were first to go. Sixty seconds later the rescue team and Bill disappeared. Harry was going to be moving with Milligan and Muntab until they reached the small town. They moved in easy steps, making four separate jumps. Harry would have preferred a floo network ride but he thought the Durmstrang fireplaces most likely weren't connected. Although the idea of popping out of a fireplace into the midst of the dark practitioners did have a certain appeal, even if it might not have been tactically sound.

It wasn't long before the entire team was gathered a small clearing outside an equally small village. There was an additional group of wizards, dressed in dark robes. Milligan hurried over and began to speak with them. After a few minutes he came back and said,

"No apparent changes at Durmstrang. We're good to go."

"Okay," Muntab began. "Rescue team, into the air. Get yourselves set on the north side of the grounds. Strike team, into the hills. Professor Potter will be along shortly. Off you go."

The two teams took to the air while Harry watched. He had tried to argue against the second team but the concern about the trolls and the possible need for back up was too great and he finally gave in. It would have been much easier to conceal his double roll if he didn't have a dozen friendly eyes watching. While they waited he had the opportunity to be introduced to the several local wizards that had been there when they arrived. Milligan did the honors and it was obvious to Harry that they were happy, albeit very nervous, to meet him.

During the past week and a half Harry had come to learn that amongst the local witches and wizards Durmstrang was a place of superstition and fear. Since they only taught purebloods, of which there were very few in the area, and the reputation for dabbling in dark arts, the neighbors who were aware of its existence viewed it as a muggle might view an old church graveyard. You knew it was there but you didn't go anywhere near it and you just assumed anything bad you've ever heard about it was true. This played a large part in their reluctance to do anything about the missing children.

Harry was staring up into the night sky when Evelyn said,

"Alright, Professor, it's time."

Harry nodded once, slipped his wand out and Disapparated to that spot he knew well, but this time he chose to appear far to one end close by the eastward slope. This way he wouldn't be such an open target for any troll that happened to be about. He cast about with his senses and the only thing close by was a pair of who he thought to be Aurors about a thousand yards to his right. He stepped out and moved quickly to the center of the hollow and made the change. He launched himself into the air but stayed low and simply glided to a landing in front of the castle.

Unlike the two previous times, he didn't bother knocking on the front door. He simply fired a tight blast of plasma through the open front gateway and blew the massive wooden front door to flaming fragments. He turned and with a swing of his massive tail he hammered the stone arch and low wall that surrounded the courtyard to rubble. Then to make sure there was no mistake he fired a bright ball of plasma into the night sky over the roof of the building. In moments he could sense the rapidly approaching flyers of the rescue team.

Several beams of red flared from upper windows but they had no effect. Perhaps the Greater dragons were as immune to stupefying as giants were. He answered with a short burst of fire that blasted a section of the front wall and caused it to collapse, partially filling the courtyard. As had happened previously he heard the giant crashing out from woods to his rear and as before he waited, but this time he wasn't holding anything back. The blow he struck with his tail lifted the giant off its feet and sent it flying for dozens of yards. When it landed it lay there, unmoving, it's head and torso laying at significant and unnatural angles.

He returned his attention to the castle, roaring and firing blasts of plasma to keep their attention. He wasn't sure how long it took but finally he got the sense that flyers were making a high speed exit back to the north. This was verified by the burst of green stars over the roof of the school. Quickly, he lifted off and veered to his right and into the woods where the giant had been hiding. He crashed around a bit to make some more noise and then changed back to his human form and Disapparated back to the front door, or doorway. As it was he wound up standing on a small pile of stone rubble.

As he stepped down off the debris he cast around but couldn't sense anyone in the hallway. He stepped in and with his wand out he moved forward. After a dozen or so steps he started to get a tingle. Someone was attempting to hide themselves. From what he remembered from his first trip and the review of the map Abagail had drawn, it 'felt' like someone was hiding in the reception hall where he had met with the false Headmaster. As he got closer he could see that the door he had blasted away the first time he was there had never been repaired.

He paused just short of the empty doorway and listened. The dragon was wide awake and remembering that terrible day in the Mysteries department he let a bit of the dragon surface and he was able to hear two heartbeats from within the room. He was tempted to just fire in a few blasts of 'incendio draco' but he recalled what the shade of Lily Potter said so he called in.

"I know you're there. Make yourselves visible and drop your wands and you can walk out of here. You won't get a second offer and you won't like the alternative."

There was a brief pause and then two blasts of what seemed to be the 'Confringo' spell impacted on the door frame. They weren't very strong and Harry had been wise enough to back away after making the offer so the small shower of rock fragments didn't do him any harm. With a sigh he stepped across the corridor to get a better angle of fire and let go with three short, intense blasts shaped like balls that struck the interior walls of the room with thundering reports. The far wall that was also an exterior wall of the building partially collapsed as did some of the ceiling. Wooden posts and beams fragmented and spread burning shards around the room. Harry focused his hearing but he could discern nothing.

He hurried past the doorway and continued to 'listen' for anyone else in the building. On the edges of his dragon heightened hearing he thought he heard the sound of spells being cast outside. He wondered if someone was trying to circle around behind him and had been intercepted by the strike team or they were cutting off someone's escape. He'd worry about that later. Right now he was looking for the Headmaster. As he proceeded further into the building's first floor he thought he heard the sound of footsteps retreating down a side corridor. Ahead of him was a staircase leading up to the second floor. He 'felt' that there was activity above him so after checking for any kind of magical booby traps he began his ascent. He was glad that he had spent time talking with Bill about his various adventures as a curse breaker and treasure finder for Gringotts. That, coupled with his time as a DADA instructor had him well versed in the various magical traps and alarms that could be laid out. He smiled to himself at the idea of alarms. Anyone not aware of his presence in the building would have to have been made of stone.

As he approached the top of the staircase, his dragon senses picked up two sets of heartbeats. A pair were down the corridor to his left and three to the right but seemingly from a room part way down the hallway. Pointing his wand at the wall about half way down the corridor to his left he shouted 'Deprimo'. The subsequent rush of air hurtled down the hallway pushing anything loose in front of it. Just above the sound of the rushing wind he could hear the shouts of two wizards as they were bombarded by various objects. Harry was sure they would be found later battered but alive.

He turned his attention to the doorway down the hall to his right. It was heavy and ornately carved. The handle was either gold or gold plated and he thought it might be a good place to look for the Headmaster. Harry figured he should knock but he didn't need to be polite about it. Aiming his wand at the door he incanted 'expulso' and envisioned the door firing straight back into the room in one piece. It did so. Whoever mounted the door originally must have done a good job because the entire door frame was torn out leaving the bare stone opening.

He could still hear two strong heartbeats, although beating much faster. The other heartbeat was much weaker. Someone must have been in the way of the door. He approached the opening and said,

"This is Professor Potter. I'd like to speak with the Headmaster. I'd rather no one else get hurt but I will see the Headmaster one way or the other. It's your choice."

"Come ahead, Professor," a voice called out.

As Harry stepped forward he muttered 'protego' just in case. As he came to stand in the empty doorway he could see the pile that was the door, its frame and presumably the third wizard in the room who had been standing in its path. Looking about he saw two additional wizards and one had his wand out and was mouthing an incantation. Harry immediately shouted 'expelliarmus' and the wand and wizard went flying. The wizard must have been on the tough side because he bounced up almost immediately after hitting the floor and Harry followed up with 'levicorpus'. The wizard was jerked from his feet and wound up dangling upside down up near the ceiling.

From the other wizard all he heard was a dry raspy chuckle. Harry kept his shield in place and though his wand was pointed downward he could snap it back up in an instant. The wizard sitting in the plain chair on a slightly raised platform was somewhat unremarkable. His face was lined with age but he appeared younger than the one Harry had destroyed in the big stone house in Romania. It was a rather unattractive face, in fact Harry was pretty certain this had been one ugly fellow in his youth.

"So, Professor, ve finally meet. One must assume that you have grown veary of our vork here."

"Let's just say I take exception to your kidnapping children," Harry replied.

"Yes, vell, my staff felt that having a school with no students vas a vaste of time and since you and your familiar dragon scared off nearly all of the student body, they needed to find alternatives."

"The dragon is not my familiar. He's his own creature, we just share certain interests," Harry replied flatly.

"Perhaps, perhaps," the old wizard said, looking at Harry through a heavy squint. "So vot now, Professor? You have scattered the remainder of our students, heavily damaged the castle. Vill you leave us nothing."

"What I do or don't do is up to you. I believe the children are safe for now, but I intend that they and all the rest who live near Durmstrang remain so. How I accomplish that relies heavily on what you tell me. What is the reason behind your actions here and why have you done this to the school?"

"Ah, so ve come to that part of the tale vere the evil villain is confronted by the brave hero and reveals all in a final monologue. I think not, Professor. My reasons are my own and they vill remain so," the Headmaster said.

Harry stared fixedly at the old wizard, his anger starting to build. The dragon was pressing for release to inflict a final end to the mischief that had been ongoing these last years. But Harry felt this was another of those moments his mother had warned him about so he pushed the dragon back but only so far. He redirected that heightened awareness back on the Headmaster and the dragon gave a startled oath and the dry voice spoke to him. Harry let none of his own surprise show and then he smiled a bit.

"I amuse you, Professor?"

"I don't think I would use the term 'amuse', Headmaster. Or should I say 'Headmistress'," Harry finished with a slight bow.

He could see the eyes widen somewhat from their squint and then settle back. He, or she, said nothing for a moment or two and then began to chuckle. Harry saw one long, wrinkled finger tap on the arm of the wooden chair and then point at him.

"You are indeed a clever and formidable opponent, Professor. You have discovered vot so many other vizards failed to. Either you have guessed it, deduced it, or sensed it, but you are correct. But that changes nothing for I vill not reveal my other secrets to you," she said, settling back into her chair.

The anger began to flare again and Harry had to struggle to keep it in check. He knew there were ways to squeeze information out of someone but down that path lay ruin, he was sure. Then out of nowhere a thought occurred to him. He saw a portrait, hanging on a wall in a little used room in the house at Meadow Crest. And it wasn't facing the wall. He thought it would be worth a try. He fixed the image that Abagail had created in his mind and poured himself into it. He watched the old witch's face and saw the expression change from arrogant amusement to fearful awe. He channeled a bit of the dragon into the image, adding a larger-than-life aspect to the image he was trying to project and the 'Headmaster' actually cringed back into the chair.

"Now, once again, I'll ask you. Why have you done all you seemingly could to tear apart this school?" Harry asked.

She licked her lips and then began to speak as if compelled.

"Because they rejected me. I vos so happy the day I vos told I vould be attending Durmstrang. To be a proper vitch and not just look like the old crones from the story books. Ven I did arrive it vas everything I dreamed it vould be. To learn the secrets of spells and potions and above all else, to revel in the power of the dark arts. But they vould only teach me what they chose and forbade me to go further. But I did. I sought out the knowledge and learned so much more, but they found me out and banished me," she spat out the last words as if they were acid. "I vos only half vay through my fifth year and I vos thrown out like so much rubbish. I vos disgraced, my family disowned me and I vos forced to make my own vay in the vorld."

She looked away and Harry thought it might have been from shame, or anger, but he kept pushing the image at her and she looked back, as if her head was being forced. Her breathing was heavy and ragged.

"So I vowed I vould extract my revenge. I did not know how at first, for there vere many powerful vizards here and I could not assail them alone. So I vaited, vorking at little things to earn my keep, making charms and casting curses for those who vould pay and learning, alvays learning. Then vord began to spread that the one called Lord Voldemort was gaining power and that perhaps a new age vas beginning. Finally, it vas made known that a place vas open here at Durmstrang for a Professor to teach the dark vays. I had learned much in all those years and I vas ready vith a new identity and I vas ready to begin my vork. To pull Durmstrang down from vithin.

"I did vot I could to encourage those that vanted more study in the dark arts and to undermine that fool Karkaroff. Fortunately for me, he did more to undermine himself and ven Voldemort finally had him killed I was able to arrange to take his place. I could then begin the push to move Durmstrang so far into the dark arts that it vould send most students fleeing and soon there vould be no more Durmstang."

She slumped back in the chair, seemingly exhausted, as though she had been fighting against every word she uttered, which was likely true. Harry looked at her and let the image fade, because it was costing him significantly to cast it.

"So this was all about revenge," Harry said quietly.

He almost had to laugh, remembering what he had said one time to a group of young first years that the move to the dark arts was often rooted in the need for power, revenge or wealth, or some combination. And here it was, so plainly laid before him. A great institution destroyed, lives ruined or ended, because of an individual's desire for revenge. He sighed heavily. With the compulsion gone the old witch regained some of her resolve and said,

"So you have your explanation, Professor, however you managed it. Vere does that leave us?"

"That's a fair question. You've certainly succeeded. Durmstrang is ruined as are the lives of those that looked to you for leadership. I'm not inclined to leave you to run free, but I suppose that will have to be left to the local authorities. I'd suggest you leave here with me," Harry said.

"Oh, I think not, Professor. After all this time I do not think I vould like to spend my last years as Grindelvald did," she replied with a harsh laugh, her long finger once more tapping on the chair arm.

"I'm afraid that may not be yours to decide," Harry said as he tried to see any hint of action from her.

"Ah, allow me a bit of respect, Professor. I did not get to vere I am today by being totally vithout ability," she said and at the last word she flicked her other hand and a small wand was there, pointed at Harry and she muttered the Cruciatus Curse.

It hit Harry's shield and pushed him back but accompanied by only a bit of pain. As she cast the spell she was also moving surprisingly fast out of the chair and to her left. By some unspoken command a large tapestry dropped from the wall behind and to the left of the chair. A Spatial Distortion Portal was revealed. She may have been fast but she wasn't fast enough, as Harry simply focused his attention on her and shouted 'stupefy'. Now Harry had found that without his wand a spell like 'stupefy' would lack its full effectiveness. Of course in his case that meant he wouldn't be able to stop a dragon or a bull elephant but for an elderly witch, as spry as she might actually be, it was more than enough. She folded up and went down just as she was getting to the portal, which meant she pitched forward and through the opening in the wall. She must also have rigged the portal because as her unconscious body went through the opening the wooden frame was blown out of the wall in a shower of splinters. There was nothing left but an arch, one course of stones deep, and then a solid wall. Harry thought absently this must have been the Portal that Hermione had told him about from her readings about Durmstrang's history. He wondered if she would remain unconscious in that strange void or if she had enough momentum to carry her through and out the other portal. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Mi scusi, Professore."

It sounded Italian to Harry as he turned and saw the still dangling wizard looking at him with a certain pleading expression, albeit upside down. Harry shook his head a bit and muttered, 'liberacorpus'. With a startled shout the airborne wizard crashed to the floor and remained there. Harry walked up to the stone arch and could sense nothing. Perhaps Milligan and the Mysteries wizards could figure something out. Leaving the two unconscious wizards where they were he walked out of the room and made his way down to the lower level and after a short walk out to the front door. From the shadows near the opening he peered out and cast about to see if anyone was lurking. Confident the coast was clear he stepped out onto the rubble. He was barely outside for thirty seconds when a series of pops announced the arrival of the strike team, including Evelyn Muntab.

"Professor. It's very good to see you. Is everything alright?"

"I don't know if I'd say everything, Evelyn, but it appears that the threat is gone. There are some injured wizards inside, upstairs, and possibly two dead ones in the large room on the first floor. How did we do with the children?" he asked.

"Went like clockwork, sir. They did have one senior student posted inside but he went down quickly and quietly. We'll pick him up now. The kids are all safe and sound, if a little confused. One of Dr. Medford's people from St. Mungo's is going to come out and see if he can do anything to alleviate the impact without having to do a full oblivation."

Harry simply nodded.

"Are you sure you're alright, sir?"

"I'm fine, Evelyn, just a little tired. I'll make my way home, slowly and carefully. I'll see you all later."

He was tired, that was for certain. With the multiple spells cast and the effort to compel the old witch to tell her tale he had burned up a lot of energy. So with great care he Disapparated back to that spot in the hollow and then sat down on a rock that was sticking out of the steep slope. With a small smile he remembered the package in his pocket and he pulled it out and unwrapped it. I contained a large triple-decker sandwich made with steak slices from the pie from dinner. Harry gave a silent blessing of thanks to the little elf and made short work of the meal. Then he set a Caterwauling spell around himself, pulled his robe tight and leaned back against the slope and was quickly asleep.

He wasn't sure what time it was when the sun shining on his face woke him up. He was feeling decidedly better than when he had gone to sleep. Before dissolving the alarm spell he looked around to make sure no one, especially mountain trolls, were lurking about. Sensing all was clear he let the spell dissipate and shook himself a bit. He thought he would take a last look around the grounds before heading for home so he moved to the center of the hollow and in two heartbeats he had gone dragon and was launching himself into the air. He stayed over the hills until he gained sufficient altitude as to remain somewhat inconspicuous.

He turned and made his way out over the school grounds and could see a fair amount of activity. Several people were investigating the corpse of the giant who still lay in a twisted heap. Others were poking around the rubble in the front courtyard and investigating the hole in the east wall. Any other creatures were staying well back in the wooded areas and appeared not to want any part of what occurred the previous night. The only thing Harry wanted right now was to get home. He figured he would land back in the hollow and then begin the multiple hop Disapparation trip home. A dry comment from the much more prevalent corner of his mind suggested an alternative and Harry thought, 'why not'.

Had anyone been watching the skies over Durmstrang they would have seen a large green dragon simply wink out of sight. Anyone looking overhead at Meadow Crest a moment later would have seen the same dragon suddenly appear. A few minutes later, as Professor Potter walked across his front garden he thought that life had just gotten a little bit more interesting.


	35. Chapter 35

Professor Potter, Chapter 35

The dining table at Meadow Crest was just about full to capacity. It was late morning after the raid on what was left of Durmstrang Institute and all those who had participated had spent nearly the entire morning conducting a detailed debriefing. The only one still not present was Bill Weasley. Once he had discussed the warding spells that he had had to overcome he excused himself and went home to Shell Cottage. As it had turned out there were a couple of nasty little curses and an alarm spell that were placed on the window. He spent a frantic ten minutes removing them before the Auror Richardson could make her way into the room. What made it even trickier was the presence of the older student who was asleep on a chair near the door. He was subdued by a 'petrificus totalus' spell and was still a rigid statue when the strike team picked him up when they swept the building after it was all over.

Harry had listened quietly as the team leaders described what had transpired while Harry had gone about his singular tasks. Once Richardson had entered the room she cast a cheering charm on the children who had started to rouse when their paralyzed guard had hit the floor with a thump. They were actually smiling and giggling a bit as she levitated each one to the window and into the waiting arms of one of the hovering Aurors. Once they were all out they flew away from the grounds while Richardson cast the spray of green stars to alert Harry.

On the southern side of the grounds, the strike team that had taken position in the hills had split into three pairs so they could watch a wider swath of the terrain for any activity by the mountain trolls. Only two had made their presence known and only one of those had gotten close enough to need attention. He was still unconscious when the three sub-teams had closed in on the front of the castle where they subsequently met Harry after he had finished his work. While waiting in this forward position they had intercepted several of the faculty who were trying to leg it away from the castle.

All the surviving members of the staff and faculty were turned over to local magical law enforcement. The locals were only too happy to take them in hand, knowing they didn't have to get near Durmstrang, or its remains, to do it. Harry then went through his actions once inside the castle. When asked how he had managed to figure out how the Headmaster was actually a witch in disguise he dissembled and said simply,

"It was more of a hunch than anything, but maybe being around so many women with my family…" he let it drop with a shrug.

The expressions he was getting suggested he wasn't being too persuasive at the moment but he continued on regardless. He told them what the witch had revealed and several of the Aurors shook their heads. One was heard to say,

"All this fuss over being expelled all those years ago."

"Revenge is one of the stronger motives for a lot of criminal acts," Milligan said. "It usually tends to be a bit more personal and a lot more violent, but I have come across some pretty elaborate schemes."

"I'm sure it wasn't the only thing that had come to shape her attitudes," Harry said. "She made that comment about being a proper witch instead of just looking like one. People can be pretty cruel to a child who doesn't fit in," he said with a sour look that passed quickly.

Ginny had come in to hear what had happened. She had stayed out of the way the day before so as not to be a distraction to Harry but now that it was over she wanted to know all about it. Hearing the tone of Harry's last comment she reached over and squeezed his hand. When he was done talking Milligan spoke up.

"We'll it looks like we have another mystery to dig into. I think I'll put Goldstein on it, plus one of the newer youngsters that you recommended as investigators. Plus I'll ask Mysteries for a loan of one of your brother's friends who decided to stay on. Maybe we can track down where the old biddy got to."

"Have Goldstein talk to Hermione Weasley," Harry said. "She has a book on Durmstrang that mentions that Portal. It might provide some leads."

"Will do, chief, I mean, Professor," Milligan said.

"It also might not be a bad idea to ask Bill Weasley about providing some additional training in more advanced curse breaking," Harry said.

His former chief investigator was picking up on something in Harry's voice and so he asked,

"Professor, is something bothering you? Something about the way the operation went?"

"Not at all. Other than the Headmistress falling through the Portal I think it went very well and the Squad deserves full marks," he said with a little grin. "But I can't help think that we, or at least, I, were set up."

"Set up?" Muntab asked.

"Perhaps it's just another hunch but with the voices I was hearing before anything had happened with the kids, and all that she said about wanting to tear down Durmstrang, I just feel like it was her plan to lure me in to administer the coup de grace. It was obvious she had an escape planned. I think for her, the children were just the bait," he said then blew out a big breath. "It's not like knowing would change anything but it still rankles a bit I guess. Anyway, I think you all did a terrific job last night and I'm very proud of all you accomplished."

He got a number of murmured 'thank you, sir' from around the table and he said they were all welcome to come out and visit during his birthday celebration the Saturday after next. With that the meeting began to break up. Though tired, they left with smiles for a job well done and a good breakfast under their belts. Nibs was delighted when Harry's offer of something to eat had been so universally accepted. Once he had seen everyone off Harry joined Ginny in the living room.

"Does that last bit bother you, Harry?" she asked.

"Not terribly, no. It does remind me a bit of that business with Riddle and the Mysteries department, though. At least this time the response was thought out quite a bit better," he said with a rueful smile. "There's something else I wanted to tell you."

"What's that, sweetheart?"

"Just before coming home this morning, I turned dragon and flew over the castle to take a last look. Then I had to decide how to come home, either fly the whole way, or Disapparate. That little voice in my head suggested I just do both, sort of. I Disapparated as the dragon."

"Really? Wow. I didn't think dragons could do that," she responded, her eyes wide.

"To be honest, I doubt a real one, a Lesser one can, and I have my doubts about the Greater ones, too. I think it comes from me. I mean I was able to draw on the dragon fire using my wand so I guess maybe it flows the other way, too."

"Hmm, you might have a point there, Harry. Makes you wonder what else you'd be able to do," she mused.

"Perhaps, but I can say that I doubt I will be traveling that way all that much."

"Why not?"

"Ginny, if I go dragon, the last thing I want to do is cut short my flying time," he said with a grin.

All Ginny could do was laugh and roll her eyes. Despite his mention of the birthday party Harry's attention was focused on the upcoming Saturday and the Weasley Potter Flyers second Quidditch match of the year. A group of retired professionals who had been helping out with the Quidditch camp had put a team together and they were looking to establish bragging rights for the upcoming camp. On the downside for the Flyers was the loss of Eleanor for this match. The Harpies were in contention for first place and they had an important match on the same day. Therefore the Flyers would be using Bee Applebee again, as well as Charlie's friend Eddy.

As Ginny had hoped it was going to be a family outing with all the children along. Ginny insisted she was going to go so Harry had insisted that she be helped so he and Abagail would make use of Side-Along Apparation to get her there. The rest of the adults would divide the other children among them to get everyone to the park. It was already decided that since they were going to be playing a team of former pros that they would put their best foot forward and Harry would fly the Seeker slot. The match was scheduled for Pitch One starting at noon. By a quarter til, everyone had arrived and they were standing off to one side as the flyers for the morning match were clearing off, their match having ended about ten minutes before.

Kreacher was there dressed in his coach's sweatshirt over his tan trousers and white shirt. The members of the other team, known as the Old Pros, were used to seeing the little elf from his appearances at camp but most in their entourage had not and were giving him quite the look over. While the spectators got settled the flyers from both teams took to the air to warm up.

As they circled around he noticed that his opposite number was the former Seeker for Puddlemere United, who had retired about five years ago and was one of the first pros to offer his time to the camp.

Harry had worked with him on more than one occasion. He found him to be a thorough going professional but a bit on the abrasive side. Harry always had the feeling the man didn't give him much respect due to his lack of professional flying time. They exchanged brief nods but no words. Bill's former classmate was once again the referee and with a sharp whistle blast he brought the two teams into position. Harry and the other seeker hovered above the others. He pulled his goggles down and settled himself on his broom. The bludgers and snitch were released and then the quaffle was thrown into the air.

Now it must be said that going into this match the Flyers knew they were going to be up against it in terms of goal scoring. Everyone on the Old Pros was in fact an old pro. What they may have been lacking in youthful agility and quickness they more than made up for in experience and trickery. They figured that if they could keep it close or even, Harry would have a chance to pull out the win. It was, however, a similar situation higher above the pitch with the Puddles Seeker relying on years of experience and knowing all the little things a snitch might do to overcome Harry's clearly superior speed and maneuverability. An important difference was Harry was in no mood to concede anything to the other seeker and he had a few tricks up his own robe sleeve.

This particular snitch seemed to have its own plans for the match. From the onset it stayed visible and just out beyond either Seekers' ability to close on it. Sometimes its movements were almost ballet like, making quick yet subtle movements to just barely elude its pursuers. On other occasions it appeared more like an oversized bee on a bad batch of pollen. Its movements were erratic, nearly instantaneous, and damnably unpredictable. By the time the first hour had passed both men were feeling the strain. From the amount of shouting it was obvious that scoring was taking place but neither could tell which way it was going.

The old pro must also have realized that Harry was no school boy push over and he started to try and physically intimidate the younger and slightly smaller Harry. On several occasions he bumped and banged into Harry as they flew side by side. It reminded Harry of his confrontations with the Slytherins. He was no more prepared to accept it now than he did then so on the next attempt, he barrel rolled over the top of the older man and then with a quick turn, swatted him in the side with the tail end of his broom. More from the surprise than the actual blow the older seeker was almost unseated and had to fight to control himself and his suddenly gyrating broom. The referee hadn't noticed. Harry now had the chance to try and chase down the tricky snitch by himself.

He was more than a little surprised at just how fast this particular snitch was. At one point he was flat out, his chest lying against the broom handle as he pursued the golden ball. He was urging the broom for all he could wring out of it when a thought occurred to him. As he had as a dragon flying to Beuaxbaton he began to 'push' against the air behind him and he could feel his speed pick up. By now he had completely overshot the goals at one end and the snitch began a high speed sweeping turn. He had been concentrating so hard on overtaking the ball that he had not seen the other seeker rocketing up towards them both from underneath.

Harry was alerted at the last moment by that prickly six sense of his and he had to peel off as the other seeker shot past him from around two o'clock low. His grab was for nothing though as the snitch had zipped off in the opposite direction, leaving both seekers to have to make high speed course corrections. Harry's took him out over the area where his family was gathering and he could hear all the shouting and cheering. He pulled around hard and was able to see his opponent arrowing after a small glint in the afternoon sun. He urged the broom on and was rewarded with the happy sight of both a Flyers' goal being scored and the snitch changing course that would allow him to close on it from the side.

As he was within perhaps a dozen or so yards the snitch again changed course and dove under him. Almost instinctively he pushed down, pulled hard left and thought 'go the other way' and another 'Potter bootleg' had been done to perfection. He was now at the far end of the pitch pointing the other way and the snitch was going flat out about a dozen feet off the ground. Harry decided it was time to put this one away. He urged the broom to give everything it had and then he began to 'push' to the back. Everything was a blur and the other goals were rapidly approaching. With a final 'push' he squirted forward and made the grab just as he zipped past the goal posts.

In his excitement he pumped his fist into the air, which caused him to sit up a bit. The high speed slipstream caught him in the chest and pulled him up and cleanly off his broom. He fell the twelve feet at an angle due to his still considerable forward velocity and landed on his back and bum. Somehow he managed to keep both his feet and arms up, avoiding snagging them and throwing himself into a roll. He skidded along the grass for a considerable distance until a small bump did finally throw him into a slower roll. He tumbled a time or two and then pitched up to momentarily stand on his feet facing back towards the pitch. He was just able to register the sight of a number of people running and flying in his direction and then he toppled over backwards to lie in the grass. He could feel the wings of the snitch vibrating in his partially gloved hand.

In fairly short order he could also feel the vibration of feet pounding the ground as a number of people ran up to see if he was alright. He lifted his head up and looked at the growing crowd gathering near him but they looked odd. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked around, a crooked smile on his face. He saw the other flyers coming in to land and he waved his snitch filled hand to them.

"Did we win?" he asked.

"We were down by fifty, Harry, so yes we won," Bill said. "How are you doing? You break anything?"

"No, seems I slid most of the way," he said. "Give us a hand up, won't you?"

Bill took Harry's empty hand and hauled him to his feet. Harry blinked a couple of times and then realized what felt wrong. His glasses were missing. In fact, his goggles were gone, too. He looked around at all the blurred faces and said,

"Anyone seen my eyewear?"

"Here you are, Harry," the voice of Teddy Lupin called out from the crowd.

The boy worked his way forward and had both Harry's goggles and his battered eyeglasses in his hands. Harry left him the goggles and took the glasses and more by feel than sight he could 'see' that one lens was cracked and one of the earpieces was broken in half. He tried them on and although not perfect it was better than the blur. Once everyone could see he was alright the sound of congratulations and bewildered conversations could be heard. More than one comment was based on the idea that no one should be able to fly a broom that bloody fast. Bill clapped Harry lightly on the shoulder and said,

"We better get you back and let Ginny see that you're alright. Fleur and Mum are with her."

The rest of the team flew on ahead while Harry and Bill walked the not inconsiderable distance to where the W/P Flyers' spectators were seated. Ted walked on the other side of Harry still clutching the goggles. As they approached the small group that had remained with the children Harry could see Ginny standing with Fleur on one side and Mrs. Weasley on the other. Harry moved as quickly as he could and was quickly swept up in a mass embrace from the three women.

"Harry, what in the world happened out there? One moment you were zooming across the pitch and then next thing I know you're sliding along the grass. Are you hurt anywhere?" Ginny managed to get out in a single breath once everyone let go of him.

"I'm fine, Gin. I imagine I'll have some bruises and scuff marks but I'm alright. As to what happened I guess I blew myself off the broom," he said with a laugh. "Guess I was going faster than I thought I was."

"Harry, you look like you were going faster than I've ever seen anyone go before. What in the world were you doing out there?" Ginny asked.

"I'll talk to you about that later. Right now, I'd like to get something to eat."

"Quick, Mum, Harry's hungry, hide the children," Ginny said in mock panic, assured now that Harry was alright.

"Hey," Harry said indignantly while the others laughed.

While it was true that Harry didn't suffer any significant injuries, his flying robes hadn't survived. Between the tears and ground in grass Dinkle would be forced to consign them to the rag pile. Ginny promised him a new set for his birthday. That, however, would wait for them to get home. For now, the picnic baskets were pulled out and food was handed all around. Harry asked a number of questions about what had been going on with the rest of the team. In general he had never been one to really notice what was going on with the scoring battle unless he could hear something but this time he had been so focused he had almost no idea.

"I'll tell ya, mate," Eddy began. "It was an 'eck of a row. They may be retired but not a one of 'em 'as forgotten 'ow to fly. Without our own two pros we was up against it, and no mistaken it."

"Maybe we need to scout some of the retiring pros from this year," Angelina suggested as she tried to keep little Fred from swallowing his food whole.

"Um, isn't the whole idea of coming out here to play and have fun?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

The looks that she got in returned ranged from shocked and horrified to amused and pitying. Harry smiled his lopsided smile and said,

"Mum, the best way to have fun at Quidditch is to win."

The week that led up to the birthday party was fairly quiet. Harry had received some comments back from Professor McGonagall about his proposed plan for the sixth year project class and he was working out the details. Bill had stopped by to discuss the contents of the essay on curses for defense and this turned into a lengthy discussion with the other members of the Study Team.

One big surprise was Angus coming to Harry to discuss Quidditch with him. Apparently he had paid almost no attention to it as a student but Abagail had insisted he come to the match the previous weekend and he had questions and some interesting observations. Harry spent about two hours telling the young man what he knew about the behavior of the snitch. Angus had taken several sheets worth of notes and after thanking Harry for his time, disappeared back down into the basement.

The rest of the week was given over to playing in the front garden with the dog, James and whoever else wanted to. Mr. Weasley had driven over on Wednesday morning and spent several hours with Harry laying out a floor plan for the playroom they were going to build in the basement. They paid particular attention to the idea of soundproofing the wall and ceiling without having to resort to magical spells.

The Saturday of the party promised to be warm and slightly cloudy. Almost as soon as the sun was up the house elves busied themselves with cooking and baking and setting up tables and chairs outside in front of the house. Several small folding pavilions were set up to keep off the worst of the sun. The spare Quidditch gear was pulled out, cleaned up and set by the front portico. The sun wasn't too far above the horizon with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley walked out from the trees hiding the car park carrying floating several baskets between them.

Harry, who had gotten up not long after the house elves had, hurried out to meet them. He took hold of the largest basket and walked his parents into the house. Not too long after someone Harry didn't recognize appeared on the walkway floating several large white boxes in front of her. Harry was about to go outside and see what it was about but Abagail dashed passed him and intercepted the girl about half way to the house. After a quick conversation, Abagail looked toward the house and called something out that Harry couldn't quite make out. Nibs appeared almost immediately and he took control of the boxes and then he and the boxes winked out of sight. After a few more words the girl likewise winked out of view. Harry had his suspicions but chose to let matters play themselves out.

Just before noon the quests began to arrive. Now as might be expected considering all that had been going on in the weeks leading up to his birthday, Harry hadn't paid a great deal of attention to what was planned. As such he wasn't really prepared for the number of people that were appearing in the front garden or coming through the floo network or on the path coming out from the car park. There were family members of course, not to mention a number of faculty members, the non family members of the W/P Flyers team, friends and colleagues from the Ministry and well as folks like Pinewood from Nimbus Brooms and Oglethorpe of QUABBLE. It was turning into quite a gathering.

Not surprisingly it wasn't long before brooms started heading into the sky above the long grass of the meadow. Teddy was getting all manner of advice from the various flyers as he maneuvered around the field. The Auror Richardson, who wasn't all that much bigger than the boy was taking a fair amount of time cruising along next to him, offering little tips. Poor James was getting the 'awww, isn't he so cute' treatment as Harry tried to help him fly along. Magic cameras were snapping away incessantly and Harry was sure that there would be multiple images of his son flying in parlors in a number of houses in the near future.

Since the day was turning out so nice, as far as the weather was concerned, Harry had the chessboard brought out and placed under one of the pavilions. Soon the sound of clashing chessmen was competing with conversations and the hooting of happy flyers. Angus was firmly entrenched in a chaise lounge near the edge of the meadow proper and was watching as the various players tossed a quaffle or chased a practice snitch. Bludgers were conspicuous by their absence. Occasionally the young man would jot down a note. Abagail had sat next to him for a while and then wandered off to join Gabrielle and Gregory who were having a chat with Fleur and Bill.

"What's going on with Angus?" Bill asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. Something really grabbed his attention during that Quidditch match against those old pros. He's been fixated on the snitch all week," she finished with a shrug.

James had finally had enough with the pictures and broom and asked to be put back on the ground. He looked up at his father and said,

"'nuffles?"

"I'm sorry, James," Harry replied. "Snuffles is a bit too big to be running around out here with all these people."

"'nuffles, please, da."

"James, I said we can't let Snuffles out here with all these guests," Harry said firmly.

The look on James face took on features that anyone familiar with his father would have recognized immediately. When seen on Harry's face people usually looked for other places to be.

"'nuffles, da," the boy insisted.

Harry fixed his so with a steady gaze and then said,

"I'll make you a deal, James. Snuffles can come out but you have to make sure he behaves himself. If he causes any trouble, he goes back in the house and you go to your room for a nap. Do you understand me?"

"'es, da."

Harry called for Dinkle and asked him to bring Snuffles outside. He disappeared and a few moments later the front door opened and the big Mastiff, who had filled out considerably in the last few months, trotted down the steps. He headed directly for James and came to a stop in front of him.

"Alright, son, he's all yours," Harry said.

James smiled at his father and taking the dog's collar in hand, began to walk around the garden with him. With heads at about the same height the two made an odd pair and attracted quite a bit of attention. Harry could only shake his head and smile. Magic comes in many forms, he thought.

The boy and dog pair got a bit of a surprise a while later when a large and familiar figure stomped out of the woods along the path from the car park. Hagrid, despite the summer warmth was still dressed in his heavy coat. When he saw the boy and dog he clapped his hands and James released Snuffles' collar. The big dog dashed at Hagrid and at the last moment, he swept Snuffles up and held him cradled to his chest much as Abagail had when he was still a puppy. After some cuddling and licking, he put Snuffles down and then knelt to lift up his godson. The boy was nearly lost in the combination of massive hands and bushy beard but it was easy to know where he was from the giggles and shrieks.

"Hello, Hagrid, thanks for coming," Harry said as he walked up.

"Hullo, Harry. Happy birthday to ya'. Quite the turnout," Hagrid replied.

"Yes, I wasn't aware this many had been invited but it's been a pleasant surprise. Having you here really tops it off."

"Thanks fer sayin' so, Harry."

"Can I get you anything to eat, Hagrid?"

"Thank ya much, Harry, but no. I could use a cuppa, though."

"Hmm, I don't know that we have a mug big enough for you," Harry said with concern.

"No, worries," Hagrid said, as he dipped his hand into a pocket of his coat and pulled out a battered but whole mug the size of a small barrel.

Harry had made every attempt he could to persuade people to not bring presents. He said he had all he could ever hope for and there were plenty of better things people could do with their money then waste it on him. His friends and family had different ideas about that but would take their lead from him. So it was that several birthday conspiracies were born. One of them was based around members of the Magical Law Enforcement Department. A collection was taken up and the money was used to buy equipment that was to be donated to the summer youth Quidditch program that was set to start next year.

The faculty collected some money and Professor McGonagall gave it to Harry to add to the scholarship fund he had set up during his seventh year. It was still providing support that allowed at least half a dozen students to attend Hogwarts that might otherwise never have been able to do so. The faculty didn't know who had set up the fund and had contributed to it in Harry's name. He smiled a bit at the irony but thanked them all sincerely.

His family generally conspired to completely ignore his request and gave him a variety of small, personal gifts. He received books, including several more by the English fantasy satirist who was rapidly becoming a favorite. Ginny of course gave him the new Quidditch robes she had promised. It was a beautiful garment, done in Gryffindor colors but with an ornate 'P' where the Gryffindor crest would normally have been.

When the gift giving was completed Harry could only look at all the faces around him and say a simple and heartfelt 'thank you'. Shortly afterward a large, ornately decorated cake was floated out the front door to the sounds of many oohs and aahs. As always Harry cut the first piece and placed it in front of Ginny. Once everyone was served he was able to sit with his wife as well as Ron and Hermione at one end of a table. As they ate the cake he looked around and smiled.

"Reminds you a bit of our seventh year at Hogwarts."

"A bit, although I don't recall quite so many older students," Hermione said with a smirk.

Harry looked at Ron and said,

"You know mate, I think I liked her better when she didn't have a sense of humor. I blame you."

"After all these years associating with you, Harry, I've had to develop one. Either that or go quite insane," Hermione bantered back.

"Actually, Harry. I think it's the pregnancy. All those hormones. They do funny things to us," Ginny said with a grin.

"Oh, don't I know it," Harry said with a look of chagrin. "Both times with you they've taken my sweet, adorable, loving wife and turned her into a Horntail with a toothache."

A moment later, to the sound of laughter from those around him, Harry wiped the cake icing off his face.


	36. Chapter 36

Professor Potter, Chapter 36

"Hey, Nibs, do we have any of those butter biscuits that Angelina gave me for my birthday left?"

"Nibs is sorry to say that Mistress Ginny ate the last during afternoon tea while Master Harry was working in the basement," the little house elf replied apologetically.

"Ah, well, at least they went to a good cause. I guess I can pop over to Diagon Alley tomorrow and get some more. Thanks, Nibs."

Harry took his mug and a handful of vastly inferior tea biscuits with him back into the living room where he and Ginny had been sitting. She had pleaded fatigue and gone off to bed but Harry knew he had several more hours of reading ahead of him so he figured tea and a snack was in order. He was currently deep into a book he was given for his birthday. It was a history of some of the more fearsome wizards, dark or otherwise. It was providing interesting perspectives on what Merlin had written regarding action and intent coupled with motive and outcome. So far he still hadn't found a persuasive enough argument to sell him on the idea that pretty much anything goes provided the cause was just.

As Harry bit into one of the store bought biscuits he couldn't help lament missing out on the last of his favorites from Angelina's. She had sent a large box full for his birthday party and a small private trove for a personal gift. The larger stash didn't survive the festivities but the smaller one, carefully rationed, had lasted nearly two weeks. Harry considered keeping biscuits from going stale to be one of the finest achievements of spellcraft.

In addition to his fond remembrances of his birthday party, he was looking forward to the start of Quidditch camp. Ted would be along again for the first day and Harry would participate as much as possible, most likely half days all the way through. Ginny insisted she would be fine if he wanted to stay all day, after all he would be gone all day once school started. Harry' s response was that with school he had no choice. Now he did and he would prefer to be home at least part of each day to take James and Snuffles off her hands.

Despite reading late into the night he was up early the next morning, washed, dressed and fed and on his way to Diagon Alley before the sun got much above the horizon. He knew that Angelina received her baked goods early as the Cauldron's baking staff worked a night shift to get everything ready for the day. The Ice Cream Haven had barely opened for business when Harry walked through the door. Angelina was working with one of her shop assistants getting the last of the breads racked in the display case. Harry recognized the girl as the one who had made the delivery the morning of the party and had been so neatly intercepted by Abagail.

"Harry! What a wonderful surprise," the tall, dark skinned proprietress said as she came out from behind the counter with a smile. "What has you out so early this morning?"

"I lost out on the last of my favorite biscuits last night so I thought I'd come for a fresh batch," he replied once the appropriate hugs were exchanged.

"I'm surprised they lasted this long. What an extraordinary display of self control," she replied with a wicked grin.

"Camp is coming up so I can't afford to weigh myself down," he said, patting his stomach.

Angelina laughed and then stepped behind the counter and began to put the objects of Harry's desire into a white folding box. When she was done she said,

"You know, Harry, I can never thank you enough for the idea of putting in this bakery section. It has really become a big part of the business and helps smooth out the seasonal swings of the ice cream trade."

"I'm really pleased it's working out for you. How are you doing in terms of space though?" he asked, noticing the closeness of the two counters.

"It's not too bad really, Harry. The baked goods tend to be a morning business and the ice cream later in the day. Summer weekends can get a bit tight in here. Of course if I had more room I'd be inclined to put in more counter space. There are a number of items the bakers at the Cauldron would like to sell me but I don't have the room," she replied.

"Hmm," was all Harry said as he looked around and began to think, before changing the subject. "What about the house, how's that coming?"

"Great. It was pretty livable when we first moved in and we've been making progress with it. It's got a good solid roof and tight windows. Mostly it needs freshening up, you know, paint, wallpaper, that sort of thing."

"That's great. Remember if you need any more help, let me know."

"Of course."

"Oh, I almost forgot. Kreacher gave me a list of things to pick up. I figured since I was going to be here, I might as well take care of it."

He said this as he fished a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to his sister-in-law. All the while this conversation had been taking place the shop assistant was regarding him with wide eyes. Harry gave her a little smile and said,

"Hello there."

"Oh, G'day, sir," the girl replied in what Harry recognized as a distinct Australian accent.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. I should have introduced you. This is Sally. She started here late in the spring. She arrived here from Australia about a year ago. Sally, this is Harry Potter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is mine, Sally. I guess that explains why I didn't recognize you as someone from Hogwarts," he replied.

"Oh, yes, sir. I was home schooled. Not much chance for a formal magical education in the outback. Raised on a cattle station I was. I hope to learn more while I'm here, sir."

"Well, there are plenty of opportunities for that, Sally. If there is anything I can do to help you, just let Angelina know, or you can ask me whenever I'm here."

The girl looked a bit startled but said,

"Thank you, sir, I will."

With a smile and another hug from Angelina Harry took his bundles and headed back out into the alley. Angelina came to stand by her assistant who had watched Harry leave and then looked over at her boss.

"Crikey, he seems so nice and all," she said.

"He's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, Sally. And also probably the most dangerous."

Sally looked at Angelina in shock.

"How can you say such a thing, Mrs. Weasley? He's your family."

"He is most certainly that. I love him as much as I would if we were true brother and sister, but it doesn't blind me to the fact he has power beyond imaging or to what he can and has done with that power. The last thing any sane witch or wizard would ever want to do is get on the wrong side of that fellow. And it probably would be the last thing they did," Angelina said quietly.

That 'fellow' headed for home as soon as he left the shop and deposited all the goods with Nibs in the kitchen. Then he went down into the basement and resumed helping his father–in-law with the work of converting a good portion of the basement into a large playroom. It was the first time that he ever really worked with his hands in this fashion and he found it oddly satisfying. As much as the theory and application of magic fascinated him, he had never really gotten into the habit of using it to do day to day things like Molly Weasley did. He was getting his hands dirty and enjoying every minute of it.

Ginny was a little more than a month away from her due date and it was getting more and more difficult for her to get through a day without being completely done in by early evening. The day before the students would be heading for the camp he sat across from her at the kitchen table, James sitting to her right but his attention fully on his breakfast, Snuffles hovering for whatever morsels might be, and most assuredly would be, dropped. Abagail was trying to control the carnage as best she could.

"Love, are you sure you're alright? You look exhausted," Harry asked.

"Actually, sweetheart, I am very tired. I'm afraid I'm not sleeping very well, despite going to bed early. This little one is much more active than James was. I don't get more than an hour or two before he wakes me up."

"Are you taking naps during the day at all?"

"Not really, I need to keep an eye on James, don't I?" she replied, trying to stifle a yawn.

Harry looked over at Abagail who said,

"I've been trying to get her to take it easy during the day when I'm here, Harry, but I haven't gotten very far."

Harry looked back at Ginny with his eyebrows raised. The look he got back would have been a lot more challenging if it didn't have the dark rings around the eyes and drooping eyelids. With a nod he stood up and went over to talk to Kreacher in low tones. The little elf nodded once and then disappeared. Harry went back to his chair and sat quietly as he went back to eating. Both of the women at the table regarded him but he ignored them. In less than ten minutes the front door was opened and the sound of footsteps could be heard coming down the main hallway. Molly Weasley didn't quite storm into the kitchen but the room was certainly filled with her presence when she arrived.

"So what's all this then? Good lord, Ginny," Molly said as she looked closely at her daughter. "You look completely done in. Are you finished eating? Good, up you come then. Abagail, if you'd keep an eye on James while I get Ginny settled back in bed. Harry, you and I will speak once I'm finished with this one," she said, a nod of her head in Ginny's direction to emphasize her obvious dissatisfaction.

"But, mum…" Ginny began but a stern look with raised eyebrows stifled her dissent.

"Up you go," her mother said accompanied by a crooked finger.

As Harry and Abagail watched mother and daughter leave the room, Abagail said,

"Well done you, Harry. I've talked myself blue in the face some days trying to get her to go back to bed, even for a short kip, but she just wouldn't do it."

"I wouldn't take it so hard, little one. Stubbornness is a common trait among the Weasleys. It takes on different aspects depending on which Weasley you're talking about but it's there. I hope you don't mind taking on more to do with James for a while?"

"Not at all, Harry. With Angus working full time now, I don't have any distractions during the day," she said with a shy smile. "I have plenty of illustration work and James likes to spend time with me when I'm in my workroom. Plus I can be outside with him and Snuffles doing my sketch work so it's all good."

"Thank you, little one, I appreciate the help."

"Don't be silly, Harry. I figure I'm about two centuries behind on payback so I'm more than glad to do it," she said with a smile.

Harry nodded and smiled back and then asked,

"Speaking of Angus, how is he getting on with the job?"

"Very well, he really seems to be enjoying it. He's working on some pretty interesting code breaking work on those files they have and the other people he's working with appreciate his skills so he doesn't feel so much out of place. It may be too early to tell but I think he's found a real niche for himself."

"That's brilliant, little one. I'm glad it's working out for him. How about you? You mentioned him not being around so much," Harry said.

"Obviously I miss him not being here but I'm really happy that he's found a job he likes and apparently they like him so it's alright. It's like we are a normal couple," she said with a big grin.

Harry smiled back, thinking that what those two brought to the table as far as magical abilities were concerned was far from normal but he was very pleased that they were doing so well. Another quarter hour or so passed when Abagail cleaned up James and then took him and Snuffles with her to go outside for a while. Shortly afterward Molly Weasley came back and headed straight for the teapot. Then with cuppa in hand she came and sat down across from Harry.

"I'm glad you asked for my help, Harry, but I have to ask why did you wait this long?"

"I guess it didn't really occur to me until just this morning how far it had gone. She kept telling me she was doing alright, but this morning she admitted she was very tired and was only getting a couple of hours of sleep at a time. Abagail then mentioned she had tried to convince her to take some naps during the day but wasn't making any headway so I figured I'd better do something drastic. She once referred to you as her secret weapon so I thought turnabout is fair play. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind, Harry dear. As you might have guessed I don't get the chance to do much mothering these days and that bigger Burrow does get a bit lonely. I'm more than happy to help out in any way I can. I had a little something I could give her to get her to sleep out the morning, at least. But I'll need you to make a trip to the apothecary in Diagon Alley to get some more. She'll need about a week of regular sleep to see her back to rights. I'll come out and stay the day while you're at camp. Between Abagail and myself, we'll take care of her."

"Thanks, Mum," was all Harry said in reply but it still got him a big smile.

A short time later he was on his way back to the Alley with a small piece of parchment that had the name of the potion on it Mrs. Weasley wanted. As he strode down the narrow alley, a wizard on a mission, he wasn't really paying attention to the number of witches and wizards around him. A voice calling his name pulled him up short.

"Mornin', Professah Pottah," Anton DuBonais called from a short distance ahead.

Harry looked up to see the tall, soon to be second year, bracketed by his mother and a tall man Harry assumed was his step father. The boy had his hands full with Quidditch gear.

"Good morning, Mr. DuBonais and to you Mrs. Henderson, and I assume Mr. Henderson?" he said by way of reply.

"Indeed, Professah," Anton's mother began with a smile. "Dis is mah husband, Malcolm. Malcolm, dis is Professah Pottah, dat ya've heard so much about."

Anton's step father held out his hand and smiled.

"It's a pleasure, Professor. Anton has told us a great deal about y'all."

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Henderson," Harry said as he shook hands.

He could see that while the former American football professional was tall and athletic he didn't appear to have the bulk Harry would have thought he would have carried. Perhaps the change of careers had allowed him to shed the pounds, but then Harry realized that it was Anton's natural father that had been the source of the boy's size. Harry silently wondered how he ever managed to keep anything straight in his head.

"That's quite an armload of gear, Anton. You have some plans for all of that?" Harry asked with a small smile.

"Oh, yes, suh. Ah'm headin' fo' camp first t'ing tomorrow mornin'."

"That's brilliant. I assume that you've gotten over your fear of heights then," Harry responded.

"Yes and no, suh. Ah still feel pretty nervous when ah'm just sittin' dere hoverin' but once ah get up a bit o' speed, it gets real thrillin' and the nerves go away," the boy replied with his big infectious grin.

"I can't tell you how glad I am to hear that, Mr. DuBonais. I look forward to seeing you there tomorrow," he said and then directed to them all, "I'm sorry to have to cut this short, but I'm on my way to the apothecary to get something for my wife," he said waving the small piece of parchment.

Anton's mother's expression changed in an instant from good natured to all business.

"Yo' missus is feelin' poahly, suh?"

"I'm afraid this pregnancy is being a bit hard on her. The baby keeps her from getting more than an hour or two of sleep at a time. Her mother sent me to get this," Harry said, holding the slip of parchment out for her to see.

Mrs. Henderson took the slip and read what was on it, her brow pulled down a bit. Then she looked at her husband and said,

"Malcolm, deah, would ya be a sweetheaht and take Anton and get him some lunch. I believe ah'll go along with de Professah heah and make sure all is well wit' de lady."

"Oh, that won't be necessary, Mrs. Henderson. I'm sure her mum has things well in hand," Harry said quickly.

"Dat may be, but ya have shown us nothin' but kindness dis last yeah and Ah wish ta return de favor," she replied, with a heavy hint of insistence in the polite phrasing.

"Take my advice, Professor and accept the offer. Taking no for an answer is something my wife just doesn't know how to do," Mr. Henderson said with a wry smile.

"I know what that's like, I can assure you. Alright, ma'am. We'll go to the apothecary and then I'll get you to the house and back. See you at camp, Anton."

"Yes, suh. See ya later, mama."

Anton's mother gave her son and husband quick kisses farewell and then fell in beside Harry as he resumed his walk to the apothecary. When they arrived at the shop the wizard behind the counter looked up and if the sight of the mismatched pair made any impression on him he didn't let it show.

"Yes, how can I be of assistance?"

"My mother-in-law sent me to get this for my wife," Harry said handing him the slip of parchment.

"Ah, having trouble sleeping, is she?" the wizard said after looking at what was written.

"De lady is late in a pregnancy, suh. A restless baby keepin' huh from sleepin' properly. Might Ah make a suggestion heah?" Mrs. DuBonais said and then leaned forward to speak with the potion maker.

As soon as she had offered her services Harry couldn't help but think of what she said about her last name having more meaning as a potion maker than the more mundane 'Henderson' and he couldn't help but think of her in that respect.

"Yes, madame, I do believe you are correct," the apothecary said. "Under the circumstances what you propose makes the most sense. I'll see to it right away," he finished and then turned to go into the back of the shop where he did his work.

"Professah, I suggested to de gentleman dat he add a bit o' somet'in' to de sleepin' potion to help soothe de baby a bit. De sleepin' potion will be a lot bettah fo' yo' missus if de baby isn't tryin' to punch its way through de ribcage while she's sleepin'."

"And that's not harmful to the child?" Harry asked.

"O' course not, suh. Uderwise I'd nevah suggest it. Just a little somet'in' to calm him or her."

"Alright."

It took nearly fifteen minutes for the wizard to return with a pint sized bottle of a light green liquid. He placed it on the counter and said,

"Here you are, sir. A teaspoon around midmorning will provide for a good nap and two teaspoons should allow her to sleep through the night. There is enough there for ten days or so. If your wife is feeling well enough before that you can stop using it. However, if she hasn't shown any signs of improving after four days, I'd suggest you take her to St. Mungo's."

"Thank you," Harry said as he slid the required coins across the counter top and picked up the bottle.

Since it was closer, Harry escorted Mrs. DuBonais to the courtyard behind the Cauldron and taking hold of her arm said,

"Hold on, this will be a bit different than the Floo Network but not too bad. We'll reappear at the front door to the house. Ready?"

The lady gave a curt nod and Harry could feel her tense up a bit. With a firm grip he used Side Along Apparation and transported them both to the front portico of the house at Meadow Crest. He could hear a gasp from beside him and he said,

"Alright there, Mrs. DuBonais?"

"Oh, yes, suh, Professah. Yo' was right, dat was a bit different. Ah'm not so sho' I don't prefer mah own two feet."

"Yes, ma'am, it does take some getting used to," he said as the front door swung open and Kreacher bowed them in.

"Master Harry, Mrs. Weasley is with Mistress Ginny and asks Master Harry to come there."

"Thanks, Kreacher. Oh, this is Mrs. DuBonais. She's here to see if she can help Ginny."

Kreacher bowed again and Mrs. DuBonais simply said,

"Mah word."

"Kreacher is a house elf, ma'am. One of the magical races of beings. He and two others work here for us, although he's more part of the family," Harry said.

"How verra verra interestin'. Shall we be seein' to yo' missus now, suh?"

"Of course. This way," Harry said and led her to the master bedroom.

As he was the first to walk in Mrs. Weasley said,

"Oh, Harry dear, I'm glad you're home, oh, hello," she said as Mrs. DuBonais swept in.

"Mum, this is Mrs. DuBonais, I believe you've heard me speak of her. I ran into them at the Alley. When she heard Ginny wasn't feeling well she wanted to see if she could be of help."

"Do pahdon mah intrusion, Mrs. Weasley, but yo' son-in-law has been so kind ta mah son and me, I felt it was only right ta offah mah assistance. I've had some small experience with dis sort of t'ing at home."

"It's very kind of you, Mrs. DuBonais. I'm afraid my new grandchild is being a little more active than is good for the mother," Molly said.

"So I was told. I suggested dat de potion yo' asked fo' be changed a bit," the medicine woman said as she held out her hand to Harry, who took the bottle from his robe pocket and handed it over.

The conversation that followed took place in low tones between the two women and Harry figured he was unneeded at this point so he walked over to the side of the bed where Ginny lay sound asleep. There were still dark circles under her eyes but at least her face was relaxed and her breathing easy. He went over and sat in a chair while the conversation continued. At one point Mrs. DuBonais walked over to stand at the other side of the bed and looked down at Ginny. She laid a hand alongside her face and then turned to Molly Weasley.

"Yo' daughter is a beautiful young lady, and no mistake. Dere is a toughness dere too, but if she ain't gettin' proper sleep dat won't last. Ya have de right of it, Mrs. Weasley. Let her sleep as much as she can fo' a week and den takin' it easy til de baby comes and she'll be fine. And I'll be happy ta help any way as I can."

"Thank you, Mrs. DuBonais. Your concern is very much appreciated."

"Not at all, ma'am. It is what I was born ta do," the 'witch' from the bayou replied seriously. "Well, suh," she directed to Harry, "if'n ya would be so kind as to bring me back to de Cauldron and mah boys."

"Certainly."

"It was a pleasuah ta make yo' acquaintance, ma'am," Mrs. DuBonais said as she left the room with Harry.

Kreacher was at the front door to let them out and once more Harry took her arm and with a 'ready?' took them both back to the courtyard at the back of the Cauldron. Before leaving her Harry said,

"I appreciate your concern and thank you for taking the time to come out to the house, Mrs. DuBonais."

"Yo' mo' than welcome, Professah. Y'all have given so much to me and Anton dis past yeah, I thought it was time ta staht givin' back. Ya' and yo' missus was a good place ta begin," she said with a smile and then turned and went into the Cauldron through the back door.

Harry was back at Meadow Crest in a blink and back at Ginny's side in a moment. Mrs. Weasley was sitting in a chair watching as a pair of knitting needles went about methodically knitting a small blanket.

"Ah, there you are. Well, I must say Harry that Mrs. DuBonais certainly knows what she's about," she said.

"Yes, she does. Abagail has made some very interesting observations about her, not the least of which is that she considers illness an enemy to be fought."

"Yes, well, there certainly is an intensity about her. Harry, if you don't mind I think I'd like to spend two or three days here, to make sure."

"I don't mind at all, you're always welcome, Mum, especially at times like this."

Inwardly, Harry was more than happy to have his mum there to keep an eye on Ginny. He was seriously considering withdrawing from the Quidditch camp to stay home and watch her but he knew that would likely cause more trouble than it would resolve because it would upset her. Having Molly about would ease that issue and quell any rebelliousness on the part of Ginny once she started to feel even the least bit stronger. As stubborn as a Weasley child could be, no one could out-stubborn the master, or mistress in this case.

So it was that the next morning Harry was sitting at the table having breakfast when a familiar blur came into the kitchen through the back door.

"Hiya, Harry. All ready to go?" Teddy asked enthusiastically.

"In a few minutes, young fellow. I must say that robe looks good on you," Harry said, looking his godson up and down.

"Thanks, I've been practicing with it. It took a little getting used to having all that flapping around behind me. I don't know how you do it when you're flying so fast. It must try and pull you right off the broom."

"I've thought that a time or two, Ted. But tradition is what it is. You'll get used to it over time. Got your broom and gear?"

"Yes, sir. I left it by the fireplace. I figured we'd be using the Floo Network."

"Good thinking. Let me go say good-bye to Ginny. Why don't you come along, she'll be glad to see you."

Harry got up and with thanks to Nibs he walked Ted down to the master suite. Ginny was laying in bed, propped up on pillows, a breakfast tray across her lap. Molly was seated on one side, the little blanket she was 'knitting' getting longer by the moment.

"Ah, there's the two boys," Ginny said.

"What's wrong, Gin, why are you in bed like that?" Ted said as he hurried up to the other side.

"Well, young man, it seems a certain someone has been doing his or her best to keep me up at all hours and it finally caught up with me," she said patting her distended stomach. "So I've been ordered to bed for a week to catch up on my sleep. Nothing more serious than that."

"Wow, a whole week? I'd go starkers if I had to spend a whole week in bed," Ted said, his eyes wide.

"I still might," Ginny said with a grin. "Now, give us a hug and kiss and off you go. And you young man, try and keep yourself in one piece this time, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ted said with a grin as he leaned over to hug Ginny and kiss her cheek.

Harry followed suit with a stronger hug and a kiss on the lips.

"See you tonight for dinner."

The two made their way out to the fireplace in the back courtyard and with a pair of green flashes arrived at the little house in Hogsmeade. They walked the relatively short walk to the stadium, each dressed in full gear, a broom over the shoulder. Despite having no blood in common whatsoever, the younger of the pair was beginning to show a bit of similarity to his godfather. The way Harry walked and certain mannerisms were beginning to show up in Ted's behavior.

When they arrived at the Stadium the activity level was a little low. The volunteer coaches were setting up tables and equipment and a few students were milling about. The first official day of camp was really tomorrow since the bulk of the students attending were coming by the Express and wouldn't arrive until that evening, but as the number of participants grew since the camps inception, both student and coaches, the arrival day had been expanded to allow for getting everything and everyone set up and organized. Students who didn't need to be on the train, that is, those old enough to be qualified to Apparate or whose parents would bring them via Side Along, would show up early to get in some flying time and some one-on-one with willing instructors.

Harry decided to bring Ted to this more leisurely and less crowded session after the fiasco, at least from his perception, of Ted getting clobbered last year. As they walked onto the pitch there were a number of called out greetings. Harry looked down at Ted and said,

"Why don't you stretch out your broom a bit and warm up. I'll go see how things are coming along."

"Alright, Harry," Ted said and in a moment he was on his broom and into the air.

"Good morning, Harry. How's my sister doing?" Bill said as he walked up.

"A bit better. She had a fair amount of sleep yesterday and last night but she'll need more. I assume you heard via the Weasley telegraph."

"Of course. Fleur would like to visit but she feels the girls would be too much for Ginny at this point and Abagail must have her hands full with James."

"Actually she has the little fellow wrapped around her finger. He hardly ever gives her any trouble," Harry said with a smile.

As Harry had hoped the day passed very pleasantly. With only a dozen or so students there was plenty of room to work with and Ted received instruction from Harry and several other coaches and the general consensus was that the boy was likely to make a pretty decent chaser. When they returned home late that afternoon, Ted spent a fair amount of time regaling everyone at the dining room table with how well he was doing. Harry could only imagine what the boy's reaction was going to be the first time he got knocked off his broom by well aimed bludger.

Harry stuck to his plan of spending the morning at the camp but with Ginny well in hand he decided to spend a couple of hours after lunch each day to get a head start straightening up his classroom and getting materials organized. He was getting ready to head for home one afternoon in the second week when the clatter of hooves on the stone floor of the corridor alerted him to the arrival of an old friend. He looked up to see the Centaur stepping into the room, ducking to clear the doorway.

"Hail and well met, friend Harry Potter. The summer months appear to have been good to you," Firenze said as he approached the platform where Harry's desk was.

"Thank you, Firenze, it's good to see you. Yes, it's been a good summer for the most part. I'm afraid my mate has been having a bit of a rough go of it, though."

"She is unwell?" Firenze asked with genuine concern.

"This baby has been very active. It's cost her a lot of sleep and she was really worn down. I had to ask her mother to come and help me. She spent nearly all of the last week in bed, sleeping. She's doing a lot better now."

"One is pleased to hear that. It was a wise thing for you to do. A parent can still exert a powerful influence that a mate cannot hope to match," the Centaur said in a wry tone.

"I don't know about wisdom, I think it was more out of fear and a bit of desperation," Harry replied.

"Wisdom comes from where it will, Harry Potter. Those two can be a deep well from which to draw," Firenze replied and then he regarded Harry closely. "You question your store of wisdom, do you not?"

Harry shrugged a bit.

"I'm a bit young to have acquired much, my friend."

"Wisdom may come long before a beard grows long and white, friend Harry Potter. And a long, white beard is no guarantee of wisdom. Wisdom is rooted in understanding, which is most often gained through experience. For one so young you have experienced much."

"I suppose that's true, but similarly one does not always learn from experience."

Firenze's laugh sounded like a cross between a snort and a whinny. With folded arms he regarded Harry with an appraising look and said,

"That one statement alone proves you understand more than most, friend Harry Potter. Perhaps you understand enough," he finished more quietly.

"Enough for what?" Harry asked.

"I would suggest you walk with me, friend Harry Potter. I would seek other surroundings for what I will tell you."

Harry frowned slightly and then stood up and followed the Centaur out of the room and then walked with him to the front door and out along the path that led to the bench Harry liked to use now and then to look up into the night sky. Being mid afternoon there was little to see but a few clouds. Harry sat on the bench while Firenze reclined on the grass across from him, his long legs folded beneath him.

"I will start by telling you that I am not quite so estranged from the herd as appearances might suggest. While I have not spoken to another Centaur since my coming to Hogwarts at Dumbledore's request, I have not been totally isolated."

"Hagrid," Harry said matter-of-factly.

"Just so. When our paths first crossed in the forest these many years ago, I was not alone. We, too, had been tracking the killer of the unicorns for we were much concerned. The stars had told us much, but not all. When my companions and I came across you as your confrontation with the man-beast Quirrel unfolded, my companions suggested we wait to see what would transpire. I felt this was wrong for something about you made me uneasy."

"Uneasy?"

"I have always been blessed, or cursed, with an intuition, some might say. Something about you called to me. It spoke of destiny, tragedy and triumph. Therefore I resolved to intervene and you know the rest of that story. After enduring the recrimination of many of my herd for allowing you to ride astride my back, I sought out the elder and revealed what I had felt. He was among our most skilled readers of the stars and he had thoughts of his own about what your presence in the forest might portend. So we resolved to watch and learn what we could. Hagrid was among our most important confidants. He was the first to reach you after the tragedy of your parents and the bond so formed runs deep. As you grew and matured we watched and we learned, and we marveled. Those few of us who were part of this effort grew more and more convinced of what your life might mean and we believed it had far more to do than just the crisis of the moment that was Voldemort.

"Then one day Dumbledore came to us and spent long hours in deep conversation with the elder. I am convinced to this day that not all was revealed to the rest of us but from that moment on, you became a central concern of our group. Great efforts were made to increase the awareness of your growing importance to the rest of the herd. It was slow but ultimately successful. Our intervention at the great battle was proof of this. No such action has ever been taken by our herd or any other of which we know. And it was with one goal in mind. To ensure your survival, friend Harry Potter."

The direct gaze that Firenze held on Harry caused him no little discomfort but Harry felt to look away would not be the thing to do. But he said nothing, feeling Firenze had more to say.

"Dumbledore had many fears about the outcome of this conflict. One was your loss. The other was your survival and not his. He feared you would come into your power and lose yourself in it if he was not more readily available to be your guide. Unlike most of your kind, he came to greatly respect the wisdom of the herd. He implored the elder to do what he could to take you in hand should something befall your mentor. At first there was some doubts for no human has ever been treated such and while we were truly impressed by your magical ability, we were not so convinced about the other."

Harry had to smile a bit for he was all too painfully aware that some of his adventures had not painted him in the best of lights. Firenze read his expression correctly.

"Yes, friend Harry Potter, some of your actions did indeed leave some doubts, but as I have said, wisdom flows from many sources. However, when you had left to join your Ministry we were afforded a new opportunity to weigh you and the results left no room for doubt. Few were left to question your place and purpose among us and fewer remain with each passing season. The herd does not see you much in the forest but friend Hagrid has kept us abreast of your many actions. Your work at the Ministry, your return to Hogwarts and what you have wrought here. Your work on behalf of students in far flung lands as well. All these things have we watched and we, the herd have concluded that we have been right to do as Dumbledore requested of the elder. Your place among us is proper and just."

Harry sat quietly. His relatively short life had been full of momentous events announced with great noise and fanfare, if such could be judged so. He had a feeling that the words he had just heard so quietly, yet seriously delivered, rivaled anything that he had experienced before. Something tickled the edge of his awareness and in a moment it broke through. He looked at Firenze and said,

"You mentioned my purpose among the herd. What is it?"

"For now your purpose is to gain understanding, to grow in wisdom, to prepare yourself for that which is to come."

"What's coming, Firenze?"

"Ah, I am afraid, friend Harry Potter, that that is something that has not yet been revealed."


	37. Chapter 37

Professor Potter, Chapter 37

Harry stood up and walked to the window of the library for the fourth time in the last hour. Ginny had gone into labor shortly before noon and it was now approaching midnight. He had gotten the message halfway through his last class and dismissed them early and Disapparated directly home. In the master bedroom with Ginny now were her mother, the midwife, and once again a Healer and nurse from St. Mungo's. Ginny had regained her strength through the month of forced inactivity and sleep assistance but Harry was still glad for the extra help. Several hours earlier he had been told by Molly Weasley it was likely to be a long night since the baby didn't seem to be in any hurry to make his or her debut.

He had tried reading but he was having trouble staying focused. As he stood looking out at the night sky he let his thoughts drift. After a moment or two they settled on the Quidditch camp. It was becoming more and more evident that the program was successful. Attendance was up and the skill level of the participants was noticeably higher. He was also sure that the popularity of the club matches had had a significant impact on attendance. More than one of the volunteer coaches indicated that there were some very solid professional prospects among the senior students.

Harry had to smile when he thought about how Anton DuBonais had looked. True to his word, the boy appeared nervous and uncomfortable when he had to sit the broom at a hover but once he was moving with any speed the nerves disappeared and his face was either a mask of concentration or split by a big smile. More importantly he was definitely showing the makings of a beater. When he connected solidly he was easily outdistancing any of the other youngsters and a few shots approached those of the more senior flyers. Only time would tell whether or not the lad lived up to expectations but it was obvious that he was having fun.

His thoughts began to drift again and touched on a number of memories including the welcoming feast, the sorting of the new first years and his initial classes but nothing held his attention for more than a few seconds. The next solid thought was the conversation he had had with Firenze before the start of the new term. It had answered a few questions for Harry but also opened up a whole new vista of unknowns for him. What was this future that the Centaur had spoken of and what was his role going to be? Was Hogwarts merely a stop along the way or was it all tied together?

He had considered these questions as time allowed but decided since he still had access to the seemingly central figure he would ask questions instead of just waiting for the answers. So several days after the start of the new term Harry went to the Room of Requirements. When he swung the door open the found the room as it usually was when he wanted to talk to Dumbledore except this time there was no chair. He thought about this for a moment and concluded that perhaps it was fitting that he be standing on his own two feet for this conversation. He closed the door and faced the empty portrait frame.

"Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, sir. A moment of your time, please."

"Harry? Is that you? I'll be there directly," came the slightly muffled voice of his mentor along with a few murmurs.

A moment later the familiar image of the Professor walked into view.

"Harry, it's good to see you again. I trust your summer has gone well."

"For the most part, sir. Ginny was a bit unwell the past few weeks but she is getting better, lack of sleep," Harry replied.

"Ah, I am sorry to hear that, my boy, but I'm pleased to know she is improving," the former Headmaster said with a small smile. "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Sir, shortly before the term began, I had a long discussion with Firenze. Well, he talked and I mostly listened. He told me some things that raised some serious questions. I believe you hold the answers and I would like for you to share them with me," Harry finished, his posture unconsciously settling into that which Abagail had captured in his portrait, minus the wand of course.

Dumbledore regarded his protégé for a few moments and then nodded slightly.

"Ask your questions, Harry, and I will answer them."

"Thank you, sir. Why did you feel it was necessary that the Centaurs take such an avid interest in me?"

After a moment's thought the late Headmaster said,

"As you once correctly surmised, Harry, my struggle with Voldemort was much like a game of wizards chess. And as Mr. Ron Weasley can tell you, one must be prepared with multiple countermoves and alternate plans," Dumbledore said then paused before continuing. "I could not guarantee that I would be there to guide you to the end so I had to enlist those I could trust to act in my stead should something happen to me."

A sudden thought hit Harry and he asked,

"The Weasleys?"

Dumbledore chuckled and replied with a shake of his head,

"A true bit of serendipity, my boy, a most happy coincidence. As for the Centaurs, you had already drawn the attention of some of them. I merely needed to encourage them to take a more active interest."

"But there's more to it than just that isn't there, sir? I mean it has been years since Voldemort died and my ties to the herd are stronger than ever. Firenze spoke about the future and my need to acquire wisdom," Harry said.

"I believe 'more wisdom' would be the correct phrase, Harry, but I take your point."

He regarded Harry over the top of his glasses, his hands folded inside the sleeves of his robe.

"Harry, I once told you that I had hope but little expectation that you would survive the struggle with Voldemort. But against that small hope I laid plans, for I had fears for our future that went well beyond the immediate threat of Tom Riddle."

Harry regarded the former Headmaster with confusion and curiosity. He had never heard of any concerns beyond that of Voldemort.

"Recall, my boy, that my life began before the beginning of the last century. I have witnessed the extraordinary evolution of muggle society and their technology. We, however, continue to live our lives much as we had when I first started here at Hogwarts."

"You worry that muggle technology will eventually cause problems for witches and wizards?" Harry asked.

"They already do, Harry. Their cameras and recording devices are a constant threat, not to mention the occasional sighting of a witch or wizard astride their broom. Your own escapade in Arthur Weasley's Anglia was widely seen as you may recall. But it is not the direct threat of their devices and machines that concerns me, Harry. You see, humans are curious creatures, muggle or magical. We always seem to be looking for something we don't have. And one thing that I had come to notice was as muggle society came to rely more and more on things mechanical the muggles themselves began to search for things spiritual."

"You mean like magic, sir?"

"Magic, mysticism, religion, all that and more. They began to probe and prod at old sites. They dressed themselves as Druids, or so they believed, and began holding ceremonies at places like Stonehenge. Mystics and mediums began to pop up everywhere and those who opposed such practices, much like our old nemeses from the witch burning days, began to sound the old alarms. My fear, my boy, is this. The more the advancing technology of the muggles continues to push some of them further and further in search of what they believe is out there, our world, the more the forces of those that have always risen in opposition will seek to push back. I fear we will be caught in middle, with dire consequences."

Harry stood as he had, his hands clasped before him, his face serious at the thought.

"What role do you see for me in this sir? Leading the defense against those that would want to destroy us?"

"No, Harry, nothing so dramatic but far, far more significant. In the past we have suffered greatly at times like I just described because we lacked the unity to stand and protect ourselves. Our communities were scattered and fragmented. It was always my hope that we could do better and find ways to come together as a larger, more unified whole. The restarting of the Triwizards Tournament was a small move in that direction. You, however, in your short career have made much more significant strides. Firstly, your work while at the Ministry to reach out and bring together the law enforcement communities of Europe and the dividends that effort has provided. In addition, your cooperation with Beauxbaton and now the new Black Sea school are forging important bonds for our educational institutions.

"This is the future that I hope your past activities, your natural abilities and inclinations, and all that will come to you over time will prepare you for. To be a voice and an example for others to follow so that when these challenges arise, we will be more fully prepared to meet them, successfully."

For no particular reason Harry's mind flashed on the contents of the message that Merlin had hidden in the multi-layered essay and the words that Ginny had spoken, 'good lord, Harry', and the way he interpreted them. He looked at Dumbledore with wide eyes and said,

"Are you suggesting, sir, that I become something like 'Lord Harry, the wizard king'?"

Once more Dumbledore chuckled, a little louder this time.

"No, Harry, I am suggesting no such thing. I fear you would not be particularly well suited for such even if it could be managed. No, my boy, for one can be just as effective a leader, perhaps even more so, when he does so by example or with a few well chosen words at the conference table. I am suggesting that you continue to do what you have already done and that which your instincts and yes, wisdom, tell you to do more of in the future. I would simply ask that you do so with a wider scope and longer term vision."

Harry let out a long slow breath. He had had the absurd notion that his mentor wanted him to become a magical version of Alexander the Great or some such. On the surface this vision of Dumbledore's made more sense and seemed to fit into the already developing scheme of things. He would have to give it some very serious thought, however, to determine how deep that sense actually went. Another thought occurred to Harry and he asked,

"Is that why you never took the job as Minister of Magic?"

Dumbledore nodded, then said,

"One of many reasons, Harry, but certainly among the most important. I've already told you my feelings about mixing great magical power with great political power. I was very greatly relieved when I heard that you had dismissed Kingsley's suggestion that you would likely be Minister one day. But yes, I felt that not having the worries of the many mundane duties or the nagging annoyances of politics to cause distraction would allow me to concentrate on the truly important issues. That is not to say such things don't exist here at Hogwarts, for they most certainly do, but at least they were more manageable."

Dumbledore once more regarded the silent young man standing before him. His smile broadened somewhat.

"I can see that I have given you much to think about, my boy. If I may offer one last suggestion, don't think about it too much for now. Let that first class mind of yours ponder them at some lower level while you tend to your family and your students. When the time is right I'm sure the answers and ideas you need will make themselves known."

Harry looked at Dumbledore and nodded, knowing that this technique worked well for him in the past. He was about to say thank you and take his leave of the former Head when Dumbledore said,

"And one last comment if I may, on a personal note. I realize that it is my habit to refer to you as 'my boy'. Please understand, Harry, that it stems from my deep admiration and affection for you as a person. I fully recognize that you are a young man grown well beyond his years and that you embody all that any of us could wish for in a Hogwarts graduate. I don't think I'm overstating the case that you are probably the finest example of what Godric Gryffindor had in mind when he established the parameters for Gryffindor House."

Harry stood there, feeling the color rise up his neck and his face. Dumbledore smiled and chuckled softly a bit, then said,

"My apologies, Harry, for your discomfort but sometimes these things need to be said. But in all seriousness, when you feel you are ready to discuss this further you need only come look for me."

"Yes, sir. Thank you," Harry said quietly and with a small half smile he left the room.

Harry looked up through the upper portion of the library window at the myriad of stars spread across the night sky. Where were the road signs, he wondered. He laughed to himself when he thought that he would be happy for a just a peek at the road. A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Harry?"

He turned to see Abagail standing in the doorway, a small tray with some teacups and biscuits.

"I thought you could do with a little something," she said.

"That was very thoughtful of you, little one. But why are you still up?"

The look she gave Harry carried with it a look that must be buried in the very genes of all women everywhere. It clearly stated, 'just where would I be at a time like this'.

"Oh, yes," he said sheepishly, "silly thing for me to ask."

He walked over to his chair where Abagail was placing the tray on a small side table and they both sat down. Abagail looked at him as he was holding his teacup but not drinking.

"How are you holding up, Harry?"

"Hmm? Alright I guess. I suppose I was spoiled with James. Other than morning sickness Ginny had no issues with the pregnancy and the actual birth was no problem. It's the waiting I don't like, I suppose," he said.

"Just think how Ginny feels about it," Abagail said with a smirk.

"Too true," he replied as he took a sip of tea.

It was obvious that Abagail was there to keep Harry company and they spoke of nothing of any significance for nearly two hours when the girl stopped in mid sentence and looked off at an angle up towards the ceiling. After a moment she looked back at Harry and nodded with a small smile. Fortunately he had finished his tea quite a while ago and when he bolted out of his chair there was no collateral damage. He was halfway along the hallway when a tired but smiling Molly Weasley appeared at the far end.

"Hold up a moment there, Harry. They'll need a bit of time to get things cleaned up but you have a fine healthy son."

Harry wordlessly crossed the space to Molly and caught her up in a bear hug that she willingly returned. He let go after a bit and looking at her said,

"You're sure she's alright?"

"Aye, son. It took a while longer than we would have preferred but that's fairly common. It was good that we were able to get her sorted out beforehand but she and the baby are fine. And Harry, he has green eyes."

Harry smiled widely. After another squeeze Molly went back into the room. Harry slowly walked along the hallway outside their room for a bit and found himself outside James' room. He looked inside to find the now familiar image of Lily seated in the rocking chair looking across the room at her grandson. As Harry stood in the doorway she looked up and held out her hand.

"Congratulations, Harry. I thought I'd keep an eye on James while everyone was occupied in the other room."

"Thanks, mum," he said as he stepped carefully around Snuffles who was sound asleep on the floor and took hold of the ethereal hand.

Looking up at her son she smiled and said,

"I suppose I'll have to divide my time between two rooms now."

"You spend a lot of time in here do you?" Harry asked.

"Most of every night, in one fashion or another. It's silly I suppose but I missed not being able to watch you grow up, son."

"Does he ever see you?" Harry asked in a hush.

"I think so. Sometimes he'll wake up in the night and look over at me. He doesn't say anything but I think he knows I'm here."

"What about Snuffles?"

"That one?" Lily said with a laugh. "Completely oblivious. You should probably go look in on your new son, Harry."

"How did you know…"

She laughed again and with a barely felt squeeze on his hand said,

"We have our resources, Harry. Off you go," she said with a smile.

Harry smiled in return and walked out of the room and back down the hall to the master bedroom. He knocked on the door and Molly Weasley let him in. The Healer and nurse were already gone and the midwife was just finishing putting her things into a large carpet bag and was giving Ginny and the baby a last look. She looked at Harry as he approached the bed.

"Your missus is sound asleep, Mr. Potter, poor dear. But you have a fine, strong son."

"Thank you for all your help," Harry said quietly.

"It is my pleasure, sir. Best wishes to you," she said as she picked up her bag and Molly escorted her to the front door.

Harry bent over and kissed Ginny on the forehead and then he looked at his son who was likewise asleep, tucked into the crook of her arm. Not wishing to disturb either he sat down in a chair that was pulled up next to the bed. A few moments later Molly returned. She took a moment to check on her daughter and new grandson and then looked over at Harry.

"You two have done well, once more, my dear. I think this one will look more like you Harry, what with the green eyes and it looks like dark hair."

Harry smiled and nodded. His relief that all had turned out well after the worries of the past months had turned into a kind of quiet lassitude. He was content to sit and watch.

"Would you like me to stay, Harry?"

Harry looked over and noticed for the first time that Molly was looking tired. Although healthy and vigorous she wasn't as young as she once was and it had been a long day, and night.

"No, mum, but I'd suggest you use one of the upstairs rooms to get some sleep. You look tired and even a Floo ride home wouldn't be much fun that way. I'll be sitting here for a while."

"I think you're right, my dear. I'll do that, once a send a message to your father," she said, then came around and kissed him on the top of the head and left the room.

Turning inward a bit he sought out that corner of his mind and asked,

"So, what are your thoughts on this one?"

The dry reptilian response was,

"This one is different than the first. He will be less of a trial."

Harry found that assessment encouraging, unless it indicated that James was going to be over the top. He settled into his chair and spent some time watching mother and new son sleep. He wasn't sure how long he had been there when an image coalesced out of thin air on the opposite side of the bed. Lily was getting her first look at her new grandson.

"He's beautiful, Harry."

"Yes, he is. They both are. I haven't seen them yet, but I'm told he has your, our, eyes, mum."

Lily smiled and said,

"And it looks like your, and your father's, hair. I only hope it's better behaved."

"What? The hair, or him," Harry replied with a smirk.

"Both," she said with a shake of the head.

There was a light knock on the door, which was pushed in a bit and a head covered in it's own dark hair poked in.

"May I?" Abagail asked.

Harry waved her in and she came to stand by his side. She looked over at Lily and got a smile. She turned her attention to the two sleeping in the bed and sighed. Harry looked over at her and asked,

"Why the big sigh, Abagail?"

"Oh, I don't know, Harry. I guess having spent so much time with James and seeing this little fellow it makes me wonder about…" she trailed off.

"It makes you wonder about children of your own, perhaps, my dear?" Lily asked from across the bed.

"I guess," Abagail replied, with a very Harry-like shrug.

"Be patient, my dear, your time will come, I'm sure. You're quite young yet. Harry's father and I got an early start out of a sense of urgency, you could say. Those times were so unsettled and frightening. Don't be in too much of a hurry to grow up," she said, her face calm and thoughtful.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Harry, dear, don't you have to be back at school tomorrow?" Lily asked.

"I'm supposed to, Mum. I have a late morning start though. But I should be here, shouldn't I?"

Lily laughed a bit and said,

"Harry, dear. For eons women have given birth while their men were off doing all manner of things. You have very important things to do. Ginny will be awake to see you off but you need your sleep beforehand. Find yourself a bed and get some sleep, dear. I'll stay here and watch. That goes for you as well, young lady."

Harry and Abagail looked at each other and then back at Lily and said in unison.

"Yes, ma'am."

"On your way," Lily said with a wave of her hand and a cocked eyebrow.

Harry stood up and taking Abagail's hand they left the room. As predicted, later that morning, once the sun rose, Harry entered the room he shared with Ginny to find mother and son wide awake. Molly was sitting in the chair sipping tea. Ginny looked better but still tired. She was holding the wrapped bundle that was their son.

"How are you two doing this morning?" he asked as he walked up to give them both kisses.

"I'm doing fine, Harry. And little Albus seems to be doing well."

"Albus?" Molly asked.

"Yes, Mum," Harry replied, "we decided on Albus Severus."

"Well, the first makes some sense but the second?"

"He played his role, Mum, and it made all this possible. I think it's fitting," Harry replied.

Molly simply nodded. Harry looked back at his wife and asked,

"Are you sure you'll be alright, sweetheart?"

"Mum is going to stay for a bit, and then Audrey is coming by so Mum can go home for a while. Plus I have three house elves, Abagail and whoever decides to drop by. I'll be fine. Your students need you so give us both another kiss and be off," Ginny said, sounding a great deal like her mother.

Harry did as he was directed and was soon headed for the fireplace in the rear courtyard. He thought about what Ginny had said, or more correctly how she had said it and decided that it was a good thing that Professor Dumbledore didn't expect him to become King of the Wizards. The Queen might be a bit hard to handle. He was quickly at the little house in Hogsmeade and making his way to the school. It wasn't that any of today's classes were any more important than usual. What was important was the fact that that evening after dinner, the first session of the six year project class was going to occur. Each student was aware of what was to come to a certain extent. Their letter and course list included the basic information and that details would be forthcoming that evening.

All four houses of sixth year witches and wizards convened in the Room of Requirements. They were all seated in the chairs provided looking expectantly at Harry who was perched on a stool in front of them. Tonight there was plenty of room, no fireplace and no empty picture frame. It was just Harry and his students, just the way he liked it.

"Good evening, everyone, and welcome. We are getting ready to embark on a very interesting journey together. Last year I initiated something new with my seventh year Applied Magic students and the results were such that Professor McGonagall decided to set up this class of sorts to give as many students as possible the opportunity to do the same. It's essentially very simple. From now until the end of May you will work on a research project of your own choosing. You may work as individuals, in pairs, or a three person team. You will prepare a written report to document your work and results and make a presentation during the first week of June to your classmates and some of the faculty that may choose to attend. The presentation is nothing fancy, just a reporting out of what you worked on and the results. Clear so far?"

The students nodded their understanding and a hand was raised by a witch.

"Yes?" Harry prompted.

"Our letter said we could pick whatever we wanted to work on. Are there any guidelines at all, sir?" she asked.

"Just a few. The first is that your project can in no way involve a practical application of a dark art. You may research the arts but no spell casting, potion making, or creature breeding. Second, whatever topic you are researching you need to be investigating the magic involved. A simple recitation of the history of a certain subject is insufficient. Other than that you are pretty much free to choose your own path forward. You should know that myself and the other professors are available to help you work up your choice and to assist you as you go along. Any questions?"

A wizard raised his hand.

"Go ahead."

"Can you give us some examples of last year's projects, sir? I have a few ideas but it might help to know what was done before."

"Certainly," Harry replied and began to go through a selection of last year's projects. "The one that involved researching healing potions was quite successful and the three involved are now working on a grant from St. Mungo's for a year to further their research. Now I'm not implying everyone would have that kind of opportunity but it does show what's possible."

Another hand was raised, a witch this time.

"Sir, I'm really having a problem with this. I've been thinking about it since I got my letter this summer and I just can't come up with something," she said.

"Well, you have a couple of choices, Miss O'Connor. One would be to see if you can join one of the teams that form and work on someone else's idea. The other would be to reconsider how you've been thinking about the projects. What considerations have you given the matter?"

"Um, I tried to think of something that you would want us to work on, sir."

Harry shook his head and said,

"No, that's not a good idea at all. Remember, ladies and gentlemen. You'll be working on this project for an extended period of time on top of all the other work you'll have. To maintain the kind of focus you'll need to get the job done well you'll really need to be interested in the topic. It has to be something you are interested in first," he said, strongly emphasizing the 'you' . "Tell me, Miss O'Connor, what is it about magic that interests you the most?"

"Um, well, sir, to be honest it's broomstick flying, and Quidditch."

"Good subjects. Two of my favorites, in fact," he said with a smile. "Perhaps there's something there for you to investigate."

"Really, sir?" the young witch said, surprised.

"Why not? The magic behind flying is rather sophisticated, not to mention what goes on with the snitch and bludgers. Who knows? Maybe you can design the Firebolt III."

The girl's face lit up and she nodded. Several others in the room also smiled and tried to attract Miss O'connors attention. Other questions were asked regarding procedures and expectations about report sizes and any other exhibits that might be allowed. Harry finally brought them to an end.

"Alright, everyone. That's enough for tonight. In two weeks, I'll expect you back here at the same time with the topic and an initial plan for your project. If you have any questions you know where to find me. Dismissed."

The group of thirty or so students began to break up into smaller groups as they made for the door. Harry saw two wizards converge on the O'Connor girl and he was pretty sure that a project was already forming. He waited for the last students to vacate the room and then he left. It was time for him to get home and start to get to know his second son.


	38. Chapter 38

Professor Potter, Chapter 38

"Harry, have you seen this?" Ginny said in a low but strained voice, obviously wanting to shout but not wanting to wake two week old Albus who was cradled in one arm.

"Seen what, love?" Harry replied mildly, looking up from his second helping of Sunday morning breakfast.

"This," she said as she slammed a copy of the Sunday Prophet on the kitchen table.

Harry moved the paper around so he could read it clearly but the doubled headline was plain enough.

'PUBLIC QUIDDITCH PARK SCANDAL' read the upper most headline and just below it in slightly smaller letters 'HARRY POTTER AND ALLEGED FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT'. Harry flipped the paper open so he could see the whole front page to include a picture of himself from several years ago. As Ginny stood there fuming Harry calmly read through the entire article noting the allegation that he had siphoned money from the concessionaires to finance his lavish country squire lifestyle. When he reached the end he snorted once in derision and pushed the paper away.

"Don't let it upset you, Gin. It's all a load of rubbish. Besides, even if I was accepting the money it would be perfectly legal. They were all thinking of paying rent as it was. The truth will come out and they'll look foolish again. I imagine the folks at QUABBLE and the Nimbus company will have something to say about it," he said quietly. "Just relax and try not to be upset or upset the baby."

At that moment, Abagail came into the kitchen with James in tow, both looking for breakfast. She lifted the boy up into his chair and got him settled. James looked around and said,

"'lo Da, 'lo Mum, 'lo Albie."

"Good morning, son, how did you sleep?"

"G'd, da."

Abagail looked at the paper upside down and her eyes popped as she grabbed for it and turned it around. She gave it a quick read and then said with considerable heat,

"What are those oiks thinking? Who would possibly believe this load of tripe?"

"More than a few people I suppose, but just settle down and eat. We'll get this sorted out soon enough."

Harry's predictions were correct, at least as far as the timeline was concerned. Within an hour of reading the article two owls arrived with messages, one from Dunbar Oglethorpe expressing his outrage and apologies and seeking to assure Harry that he would personally confront the editor of the Prophet in the morning. The second message was from Nathaniel Pinewood of Nimbus brooms expressing his own anger and his pledge to remove any and all advertising from the Prophet. A while later a third owl arrived from 'This Week in Quidditch' asking Harry if he wished to offer any comments. Since the owl seemed to be waiting for a reply he scribbled a note saying that they should contact the folks at QUABBLE for a statement.

It also wasn't long before visitors began to arrive. As one might expect Bill and Fleur showed up around noon with their children, followed shortly by Ron and Hermione, Charlie and Eleanor, and George and Angelina. Mum and Dad Weasley were vacationing in Spain at the invitation of Percy and Audrey. While intended to be a show of support for Harry, the discussion had more the tone of a council of war. Harry was promised that letters would be written, as well as a visit to the Prophet by George and Angelina, who indicated they could probably muster a few other shop owners. And if the translation from the original French was correct all manner of havoc would be visited upon the hapless editor to include but not limited to lightening, painful boils and something to do with toads, but that wasn't quite clear. Harry let his family vent for a bit and then said quietly.

"Please, everybody. I certainly appreciate how you feel about this. Don't think that the image of dragon fire reducing the Prophet office to ashes didn't cross my mind, however briefly. But try not to be so upset. Obviously they felt they needed to take a run at me and this was the best they could come up with. The folks running the park assure me they are going to set the record straight in short order. So please, relax."

Taking a cue from Harry's attitude the others began to settle down but there was still a lot of mumbling in French. Little Vee was, as usual, perched on Harry's lap and she looked up at him and said,

"Bad people don't like you, Uncle 'arry?"

"I guess not, sweetheart, but as long as you do, that's all I need," he said with a smile.

"I don't just like you, Uncle 'arry. I love you," Victoire said as she hugged him.

Harry looked up and said,

"See, that's all I need."

While others acted as Harry's surrogates in the face to face confrontation with the staff of the Prophet, Harry was going to have to deal with the fall out at Hogwarts directly. Copies of the front page had circulated widely through the school that day and by the time he arrived for breakfast on the following morning there was a buzz throughout the Great Hall, until he appeared and then it got very quiet. As he walked up to the dais he made his way directly to the Headmistress.

"Sorry about all this, Professor. How would you like to handle it?" Harry asked.

"I suppose we should get it over with as quickly as possible. Would you care to address the school now?"

"No time like the present. Thank you," he replied.

Harry walked to the edge of the dais, the air heavy with anticipation. He took out his wand and pointing towards the small door said,

"Accio stool."

In a moment the stool from his classroom floated quickly into the Hall and landed directly in front of him. He sat down and touched the wand to his throat and said,

"Sonorous."

This way he could carry on as if he was conducting one of his classes. He looked out over the expectant faces and began.

"Judging by the stunning silence when I entered I have to imagine you've all had a chance to read the article about me in yesterday's Prophet."

More than a few heads bobbed up and down.

"Well, let's get right to the heart of it. Part of what they said is true. I do indeed own the land that the park was built on."

A low murmur began at the tables.

"It came to me as part of an inheritance when my godfather, Sirius Black, died. I wasn't aware of it at the time or for some years afterward, but yes, that farm is mine. I found out about it when Mrs. Potter and I started thinking about building a house of our own. I asked the folks at Gringotts to help us look for some land and they came back and told me I already owned some. But, as far as the article goes that's all that they got right. When I decided I wanted to do something with that property, you all helped inspire the idea."

This comment caused more than a few heads to turn and look at him quizzically.

"You see when I saw how much fun you were having playing and watching the Quidditch club matches, I thought it would be great if I could find a way to bring that fun to the community as a whole. Then one day I was talking to Mr. Dunbar Oglethorpe of QUABBLE about them helping with the Quidditch camp here at the school and I mentioned the idea to him. He was very enthusiastic about it and very quickly took on the task of planning and creating the park. Truth be told I really didn't have much to do with it other than the original idea and signing the agreement to let them use the land. For free."

He paused a moment to let this sink in.

"That's right, for free. As you know there are no fees charged to the players who use the field and the concessionaires in the building there only pay a small percentage of profits into a fund that QUABBLE uses to maintain the facilities and stock the dispensary. That's it. I am telling you right now, on my honor as a Hogwarts graduate, professor, and most importantly as a Gryffindor, not one brass knut has ever been given to me, or taken by me. All that nonsense about taking money to finance my lavish country lifestyle, whatever that is, is a load of rubbish. As some of you might know the Potters are an old family and they were pretty comfortable. My dad was an only child as am I so when my parents were killed I inherited all that. As you may also know, the Black family was one of the richest in our world and as the only living male, my godfather Sirius was the sole heir, much as he didn't like the idea. As his godson I was his sole heir and when he died all that came to me, including the farm as I said. So you see, I'm doing pretty well for myself these days and the last thing I need is the few sickles or galleons that might be realized from the Quidditch Park."

He paused for a few moments and looked around the students, trying to gauge their reaction.

"So, does anyone have any questions? Let's get this all out in the open right now."

A wizard about halfway up the Slytherin table had his hand up and Harry pointed to him.

"Why, Professor? If everything you just said is true, why would they print all that?"

"There probably aren't that many of you that can remember what went on while I was a student here. A lot of people, and not a few who were in positions of power, didn't want to believe that what I was saying about Voldemort was true. They used the Prophet to try and discredit me. I guess they were afraid of the panic that might occur if people thought I was right. In the end, the truth came out and the Prophet suffered for it. In fact they nearly went out of business. They took another hit when they printed I was nearly dead when I had gotten sick that time. I suppose someone is still looking for a chance to take me down a notch or two," he concluded with a shrug.

A Gryffindor seventh year had her hand up, anger clear on her face.

"What are you going to do about the Prophet, sir, now that you've explained it to us?"

"Nothing."

Her eyebrows shot up and there was significant mumbling at all the tables.

"How can you do nothing, sir? We can't have them lying like that about someone from Hogwarts, and a Gryffindor."

"What would you suggest I do?" Harry asked calmly.

The young witch was obviously upset and more than a bit flustered. She started to say something twice and then finally threw up her hands and said,

"Something!"

Harry smiled a bit and said,

"Miss Pennyfeather, first let me say that I truly appreciate how adamant you are about protecting my reputation and that of the school and Gryffindor house. But if I were to storm into the office of the Prophet and create some sort of uproar or worse, use magic in some way, it would only go that much harder on me, us. That doesn't mean that this is going to go unanswered. I can assure you that before lunch today the Prophet will have several visitors who will insist on them setting the record straight based on the evidence, in the face of financial hardship due to lost advertising and a sizeable portion of merchants in Diagon Alley expressing their own outrage. And I won't begin to tell you about the dire consequences some of my family have promised," Harry said, thinking he heard a short laugh from behind him. "The important thing for me was to be here, talking to you, letting you know what the truth is. Because without the truth there can't be any trust, and without trust there is no reason for me to be here."

From behind him, Harry began to hear applause and the students began to pick it up, but instead of applauding they began to hammer on the table tops and stomp their feet on the floor. The sound rose to almost deafening levels and Harry finally stood up and raised his hands to try and restore some order. When he finally got them settled down Harry said,

"Aright, now that we have that sorted out, let's enjoy our breakfast. We have a busy day of learning ahead."

This got him a few groans but he just smiled. With a wave of his wand he sent the stool back to his classroom and walked back to the faculty table and his breakfast. Bill and Hagrid each offered handshakes and he got a nod and smile from the Headmistress. Things were just as noisy that morning at the offices of the Daily Prophet. When Messrs. Oglethorpe and Pinewood arrived to register their complaints and demand a retraction they had to wait until they could get through the crowd of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade merchants who had converged on the paper to voice their dissatisfaction and withdraw their advertising. All in all it was a very bad day for the paper.

The entire episode came to an end when a joint statement from QUABBLE and the Nimbus Broomstick Company Board of Directors appeared in the next edition of 'This Week in Quidditch'. It clearly laid out the agreement that had been reached, the offer and refusal of rent and the creation of the fund that provided for maintenance and the creation of next year's summer youth program. While nothing official came from the Ministry of Magic, rumors were that one or more disgruntled former members of the Department of Magical Games and Sports were being sought for questioning. Harry had let the whole thing go once he had his talk with the students and dove right back into class work. The two weeks for the sixth years to come up with their ideas had passed and once more they were in the Room of Requirements grouped into their proposed research teams.

"Well, hello again everyone. I hope you've been able to come up with some ideas for your projects. Would anyone like to be the first to share with us?" Harry asked.

Several hands went up and Harry selected a group of three Ravenclaws. A wizard was their spokesperson.

"We'd like to research why wands work the way they do, sir. We know a previous project investigated their history and how we've come to depend on them, but we'd like to focus on the connection between the wand and the user. Why particular woods and substances match with certain people."

"Sounds interesting, just be careful with your research and don't go hexing each other or yourselves," Harry replied. "Who's next?"

The flow of ideas came pretty steadily to include such topics as 'Crossbred Magical Creatures, How and Why?', 'How Reliable are the Stars for Divination', 'Magical Man Eating Plants, Myth or Menace' and 'How fast can a Broom Really Go.' This last one got Harry's attention and he asked a few questions.

"Well, sir," Una O'Connor began, "my dad is an aeronautical engineer. You know, a muggle who designs things that fly. I guess that's why I'm so interested in broom flying. I always wondered if the things that limit the speed at which things can fly are the same for muggle built stuff as it is for brooms or does the magic overcome normal effects like drag. I thought as part of the project we'd see how fast a broom could be made to go."

"And you would prove this how?" Harry asked.

"We'd build one and fly it as fast as it can go," she replied.

Harry thought for a moment than said,

"I'll give the go ahead but the first thing I want to see is your plan on how you intend to test anything you build, safely."

"Yes, sir," the young witch replied with a smile.

"Oh, that reminds me, you with the man eating plant project. I want to see a plan on how you intend to do your field research and I want it reviewed and approved by Professor Sprout and Mr. Longbottom. Alright, I think that leaves just you two," Harry said, pointing to two witches out of Gryffindor house.

"Well, sir, we have a bit of a problem. We want to do a project in Muggle Studies but we don't think it fits your criteria that it has to do with the magic involved," one of them said.

"What did you want to do?"

"We wanted to study the compatibility, or incompatibility, of the muggle and magical worlds and what the true prospects for peaceful co-existence are."

"Yes, I can see what you mean. Let me think about this a minute," Harry said for he truly was interested in what they might find out based on his last conversation with Professor Dumbledore.

"How about this? You do your study but you ensure that you cover the magic that has been used to shield us from Muggle notice. You can go into how they work and how effective they are. That should cover the requirement and still give you the chance to do the other part of the work, which by the way, I'm very interested in."

Harry looked about and said,

"Alright everyone, excellent work so far. I'm looking forward to our first progress report which will be in four weeks time, right here. Just remember that for those of you who I asked for extra information, that comes first, yes, and soon. Alright, everyone dismissed."

Harry followed the last student out and within fifteen minutes he was exiting the fireplace at Meadow Crest and heading for the back door. It swung open a moment before he reached it and Dingle was bowing him in.

"Thanks, Dingle."

"Master Harry is most welcome."

Although he had had dinner at the Great Hall earlier that evening, Harry was hungry again so he went straight for the hidden cache of biscuits and helped himself to several. Then he went looking for his family. He found them in the living room. Ginny had little Albus on her lap while James sat on the floor with Abagail, playing with some figures of witches and wizards. He walked over to give Ginny and the baby each a kiss and then he scooped up James for a hug and kiss. Harry then looked down at Abagail and said,

"If you don't mind my asking, you've been home evenings quite a bit lately. Is everything alright with Angus?"

"Depends on what you mean by alright, Harry. Between his job at the Ministry and his new obsession we only get to see each other on weekends," Abagail said, a bit disgruntled.

"What do you mean by obsession?" Harry asked.

"Quidditch of all things."

"What?"

"That's right. Ever since that last match you all played in he's been absolutely fascinated by it. He told me he never went to matches at school but when he was watching you play he became fixated on the snitch. Apparently he thinks he can figure out a way to use maths to describe and predict what a snitch does. He said it had something to do with chaos, whatever that's supposed to mean."

"I think it has something to do with advanced Muggle maths. Anyway, I'm sorry to hear all this. Would you want me to talk to him about it?" Harry asked.

"No, but thanks, Harry. I'll give him a few more weeks at it then I'll have my own little chat with him. Besides, I'm sure it's been helpful to have me around to help Ginny."

"Yes, it has, sweetheart, and thank you but don't let that stop you from going out and enjoying yourself. Maybe you and Gabrielle can arrange a girl's night out," Ginny said.

"That might not be a bad idea, Gin, thanks," Abagail said from the floor.

"Harry, take a look at this," Ginny said, holding up several sheets of parchment.

Harry put his son back down on the floor and took the offered sheets and began to read.

"How about that, a letter from Luna. I was wondering what she was up to."

He continued to read the letter addressed to Ginny. It chronicled her search for mysterious magical creatures considered extinct by the mainstream magical community that had started in the hinterlands of the UK and had expanded to treks to the continent, Scandinavia and now the steppes of Russia. She had been successful in catching glimpses of some elusive creatures, documented with magical photographs and the Department of Regulation of Magical Creatures was taking an active interest in her work. She was hoping to finish up the latest leg of her journeys in time for the Christmas holidays and wanted to come visit them.

"This is really something, Ginny. It would be great to see her and hear all about her adventures. I wonder if she'd want to do a lecture at Hogwarts?"

"I'll bet she'd do it if you asked her, Harry. She always said you were one of the few people who didn't treat her like an oddball."

"She's unusual, no getting around that but she was and I guess still is one of the bravest people I know," Harry replied.

On the heels of the annoyance that was the article in the Prophet, Harry had to deal with the disappointment of not being able to go to the Halloween ball with Ginny. On the one hand she wasn't ready to leave the new baby with anyone and on the other, this pregnancy had been very difficult on her and she was only slowly regaining her strength. Harry had said if she couldn't go he wasn't interested in going himself. Ginny considered this for a moment and said,

"Thank you, sweetheart, that's very gallant of you but you realize of course that Fleur would have a complete fit if you weren't there for her to dance with, not to mention the effect that not having the dragon show up would have on the students. This is one of those things you need to do, with or without me. Besides, I talked to Mum and we're going to have a party for the kids again, so it's quite possible that you'll be the one missing out," she said with a little grin.

Harry shook his head but he was glad to see Ginny wouldn't be left out of any fun. Something else was nagging at Harry about the Halloween night coming up. It would be exactly twenty five years to the day since the death of his parents at the hands of Voldemort. He wasn't sure why the number twenty five should be any more significant than any other number but it seemed to matter. He wasn't sure how it was going to play out but it did bother him somewhat.

Unlike previous Halloweens, Harry didn't rush home after class and get ready under the watchful eye of Ginny. Instead he switched one of his stay-over nights to the night before and brought his dress robes with him. As a result he was one of the first faculty members to take a place at the tables on the dais. He watched as a few students drifted in and was lost in a bit of a reverie when he heard a voice calling his name.

"'arry? Are you alright, mon frère?"

Harry looked up and over and saw Fleur already at the top of the steps with Bill coming up behind her. He stood up and exchanged hugs and handshakes and then had to endure the intense scrutiny of his big sister.

"What ees wrong, 'arry?"

"Nothing really, Fleur, it just feels kind of strange to be here without Ginny. Usually we're rushing around at home getting ready and she's looking me over to make sure I'm presentable," he said with a half smile.

"Well, mon ami, eet ees plain that you remembered to put your shoes on the proper feet so you weell be able to dance properly," she said with a smile.

Harry smiled and laughed a bit but it was apparent his heart wasn't in it. Again Fleur asked,

"What ees wrong, 'arry? Tell me."

He took in a deep breath and said,

"It's kind of silly, I know, but it's just that it was twenty five years ago tonight that my parents were killed. For some reason it's bothering me."

He saw Fleur's blue eyes start to shine a bit and she pulled Harry to her and wrapped her arms around him. It was not the fierce hug that he was often subjected to but one that was full of sympathy and love. There was no kisses on the cheeks, just soothing rubs with her hands on his back. She finally let him go and as they separated Bill said,

"There's nothing silly about it, Harry. For whatever reason we put meaning to numbers like that and it marks a great tragedy for you. The date that most people associate with the defeat of Voldemort, I associate with the birth of my daughter and the death of my brother. These things do have meaning for us and you shouldn't feel badly about how it bothers you. Come on, let's sit down for a bit."

"Yes, seet down 'arry and tell me about your new son. That should make any proud papa feel better."

And she was right. As Harry talked about Albus it did lighten his mood somewhat. As the Hall began to fill and the noise level rose he was able to look around at the decorations and the students and smile. Bill asked him how his project class was going.

"It's off to a promising start, Bill. They've come up with some very interesting topics to investigate. One group is going to try and come up with the fastest broom ever. That could prove to be very educational," he said with a half smile.

Bill laughed a bit. About that time the music began and Bill looked to his wife with an expression Harry could read all too well.

"Go ahead. I'm fine. Save a slow one for me, though," he said.

The couple stood and Fleur gave him a kiss on the forehead before joining her husband to leave the dais for the dance floor. Harry closed his eyes and listened to the lively tune, thinking back on how he and Ginny would have danced to it.

"Good evening, Professor Potter."

Harry's eyes opened to find Professor McGonagall standing a few steps away.

"Good evening, Professor."

"It would appear that Ginny wasn't able to attend this year?"

"Yes, ma'am. All things considered she felt it better that she stayed home. They're having a Halloween party of their own tonight," he said with a half smile.

"I see. Thank you for making the effort to be here. It wouldn't be the same without you," she said with a knowing smile.

A few minutes after the Headmistress went to her own seat the music switched to a slower piece and Harry found himself being summoned to the dance floor by an insistent wave from Fleur, much to Bill's amusement. With a bemused smile he made his way to the dance floor and was quickly leading her in a stately manner to a slow, almost somber tune. As they danced he said,

"You'd almost think they knew I wasn't in a particularly good mood tonight."

"Per'aps they do know, 'arry," Fleur replied with a quick smile. "As for me, I appreciate your doeeng thees for me. I know your 'eart ees not truly een eet."

Harry smiled a bit but remained silent until they finished the dance. Then Bill rejoined them and the three made their way to the dinner buffet. As a testament to Harry's growing melancholy he took only a normal plate and didn't even fill that. He spent the next hour or so eating slowly or not at all. It was nearing half past eight when he leaned over and said quietly,

"I think I'll take care of a bit of business and then head for home. Sorry if I put a damper on the evening for you."

"Do not be seelly, 'arry. Eet ees always wonderful to see you and we are always 'ere for you," Fleur said as she leaned closer to kiss his cheek.

Harry shook hands with Bill and then left the dais and went out through the side door. He slowly made his way outside and down the path to Hagrid's hut, where he Disapparated to the hollow in the hills behind Hogsmeade. He looked around a bit and up into the moonless night sky and then directed his thoughts inward and within two heartbeats he was filling most of the space. With a stong leap and a sweep of his wings he was airborne. With his dragon self more predominate some of his melancholy was replaced with the joy of unaided flight but it would be correct to say he was not a particularly happy dragon.

He circled over the mountains as he continued to climb into the chill night air. He then flew towards the school, passing over Hogsmeade, the lights of the town twinkling in the cool clear air. He made some lazy turns as he tried to let the feeling of flight wash away more of his ill feelings. As he neared the school grounds he tucked his wings in a bit and went into a shallow dive, picking up speed so that by the time he passed over the roof of the castle the wind generated by his passing rattled the roofing tiles. He made no roar or let out any flame on his first pass but the noise he did make was enough to get the attention of the student body and by the time he had come around for a second pass they were assembled on the grass in front of the castle.

As he passed not too far above their heads his bugling roar held a distinctly mournful note and again there was no fire. He made a climbing turn that took him out over the forest and once more he roared that mournful roar. Tightening the turn he came back around and as he had last year he settled with a thump on the grounds less than a body length from where the foremost students stood. He looked at them all, some smiling, Anton in particular, others with mouths gaping, mostly the first years but also the two exchange students from Beauxbaton, who were standing together, seemingly rooted to the ground.

A brief flash of light from off to one side of the crowd got his attention as well as many of the students, who turned to look at a fifth year in Hufflepuff robes standing with a camera held in front of him. Harry was pretty sure he didn't want pictures taken so he extended his neck in the direction of the hapless young wizard who suddenly found himself very much alone. With his snout less than an arm's length away he fixed the youngster with his green eyes until the boy seemed to catch on and he held the camera out in front of him. Harry pulled his head back a bit but extended a foreleg until he was able to slip one of his enormous talons through the strap and lift the camera away from the boy.

Holding the device to one side he took careful aim and fired a brief, slender jet of plasma that instantly incinerated it, leaving only the strap with melted smoldering ends. This he dropped at the boys feet and then he backed up a couple of paces and launched himself back into the air in a spiraling climb until he had gained enough altitude to hover over the roof of the castle where once more he let go with that mournful bellowing roar, much louder this time, followed by a lance of pure white plasma, briefly lighting up the entire grounds in front of the school. Once the fire winked out he dropped a bit and headed south, not back to the hills beyond the town, but for home.


	39. Chapter 39

Professor Potter, Chapter 39

It was early in the afternoon of the first Sunday in November. It was cool but not uncomfortably so and the majority of the Potter family was out in the front garden enjoying the sun. Missing were Albus, who was taking his nap and Ginny who was catching a bit of sleep herself. Harry was outside with James, Abagail and Snuffles along with Angus and Teddy. Abagail and Ted were helping Angus with his research on the movements of a snitch. Abagail figured it would be easier to help with the work than trying to convince Angus to take a break now and then. They were using a children's practice snitch to test the basis of his theory and the two flyers were helping him.

Harry was splitting his time between watching the trio of researchers and helping James as he made his way at low speed around the grounds. They were having a bit of an issue with the boy making turns. Apparently he was hesitant about leaning into the turn and therefore was too upright resulting in a tendency to tip over towards the outside of the turn. Fortunately, after the first few times Snuffles took to pacing along underneath the young flyer and James would wind up half on his broom and half on the dogs broad back. Considering how much laughing the boy would do with it happened, Harry had to wonder if he wasn't doing it on purpose.

After a while Angus and his assistants finished their work and came to join Harry, James and Snuffles who were now playing fetch and tug-o-war. Or in the case of James and Snuffles alone, a game of drag-the-boy since the big dog would give a quick jerk of his massive head as he gripped the pull toy in his mouth. This usually pulled the boy off his feet and then Snuffles would proceed to drag James across the grass while he shouted, 'Nuffles, stop,' in between fits of giggles.

It was during just such an episode when the researchers walked up and Angus came to James' rescue. He grabbed the dog by the collar with one hand and hauled the boy to his feet with the other. Once upright, James looked at the Snuffles, pointing his finger at him and said,

"Bad, 'Nuffles."

"Nay, he's a guit dahg," Angus said, "he jist doesn't knoo his own strength yet."

This little tableau was interrupted by the appearance of Ginny on the front portico. She had a well bundled Albus cradled in one arm and a roll of parchment held in her free hand. Seeing his mother, James yelled,

"Mum!" and dashed off with Snuffles trotting after.

Despite both of them trying to get her attention, Ginny was able to safely make her way to where Harry and the others were sitting and held out the parchment roll to her husband.

"This arrived a little while ago, Harry. Kreacher said it was brought by a large and very tired owl."

"Hmm, it must have been a long flight. I wonder if it's from Viktor."

"One way to find out," she replied.

Harry nodded as he broke the simple wax seal and unrolled the sheet. He looked at it for a moment then said,

"Ah, it's from Professor Dragonova," as his eyes skimmed over the neat elegant writing.

"And?" Ginny prompted.

"And she apologizes for taking so long to write but it was a very hectic summer trying to get ready for the first day at Black Sea. Um, she says she had intended to write earlier but I can imagine what it must have been like," he said looking up at Ginny. "I sure can. We're always dealing with last minute stuff and Hogwarts has been around for centuries."

Ginny looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, sorry. Let's see. She says if I hadn't already been told by Professor McGonagall, it was going to be strongly suggested that I be offered the job of Headmaster at the new school."

"What? Professor McGonagall didn't tell you that?" Ginny interrupted.

"Oh, no, she did. I told her I wish they had mentioned something about it before they left so I could have told them I have no intention of leaving Hogwarts."

"So you knew about this and didn't tell me?" she asked, clearly exasperated.

"Well, it was a pretty silly idea so I guess I just didn't think about it."

"Silly? Being considered for a Headmaster's position is not silly, sweetheart. It's a great honor, more so for someone your age. Try to remember to share these little tidbits with me in the future, will you please? Now what else does she have to say."

Harry looked back down at the parchment and then said,

"Ok, she says that once they got back and talked it over a bit they realized, yup, just like I said, they realized I would very likely decline so they let it drop. They were also going to invite me for the opening day ceremony but since it was practically the same day as the start of term at Hogwarts it didn't make sense. They would still like me to come and spend a few days and do what I did at Beauxbaton. I think I could do that. I'll have to talk to Professor McGonagall and see what I can work out."

He kept reading and Ginny could see that his expression clouded a bit.

"What's the matter, Harry?"

"Eva, I mean Professor Dragonova, is saying that should I choose to accept and pay them a visit I should be aware that several members of the Board of Directors are not among my biggest fans."

Ginny snorted and asked,

"What's their problem?"

"The same as some folks around here. I'm an affront to the time honored traditions of wizardry, a radical bent on destroying the true nature of magic, so forth and so on. She thought I should know in case I didn't want to come."

"Would that change your mind?"

"Of course not. I'd go just for the opportunity to meet these characters. Maybe I could change their minds a bit," Harry said quietly, looking at his wife, who smiled back down at him with a bit of a glint in her eye.

But his plan had to wait because just before sunrise the next morning Harry and Ginny were awakened by Dingle. He had just received a message that Hermione had gone into labor shortly after midnight and was now in a muggle hospital. Ron, who had sent the message through the Aurors, indicated that everyone should just hold in place since the hospital would only allow immediate family to be there. Harry figured he was in for a tough day at Hogwarts trying to stay focused. At least the planning for the trip to Bulgaria would help provide for a distraction.

"So, Professor, I thought if I can be spared for a couple of days I should make the trip. If for no other reason than to meet these 'tradionalist' directors."

"I think we could deal with it, Harry, based on your trips to Beauxbaton," Professor McGonagall replied.

"What would be the aim of this meeting, my boy?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"First, to assess the situation and see if these individuals are really a problem or just an annoyance. Second, to give them the opportunity to meet me and perhaps see that I'm not quite the ogre they think. Lastly, to offer Professor Dragonova and the others whatever help I can offer in dealing with them if they are a real problem."

Professor Dumbledore regarded Harry over the tops of his glasses.

"No worries, sir. Challenging them to duels is at the bottom of my list," Harry said with a smile.

"Should be right at the top," came a voice from high up on the wall behind Professor McGonagall.

The Headmistress simply shook her head a bit and then fixed Harry with a penetrating look before saying,

"Are you sure you'll be able to manage today, Harry. We know how close to home this birth is for you."

"Yes, ma'am. I should be fine. If I wasn't here I'd likely just be home pacing the hallway."

Professor McGonagall simply nodded. Harry actually did a pretty commendable job of keeping himself focused on his students and the only indication that this was not a normal day was he only managed to get halfway through a second helping at lunchtime. One concession that he did make was as soon as he was through the gate he Disapparated home. Kreacher opened the door for him and Harry immediately picked up on the tense atmosphere. He heard murmurs coming from the living room and he hurried there. As he stood in the doorway he found most of the family present, all looking at him with somber expressions.

"What?" was all he managed to force out through a tightened throat.

"They almost lost her, Harry," Ginny said at barely a whisper. "The baby is fine but Hermione is in serious condition as they put it."

Harry's knees deserted him and he staggered against the side of the entry way. Ginny and Abagail were up and at his side in an instant and helped keep him on his feet. They walked him to the couch where they had been sitting and eased him down and then sat on either side of him.

"What happened?" he was able to ask a bit more clearly.

"There was bleeding and it took them a while to get it under control, dear," Mrs. Weasley replied. "She's very weak right now. The last word we received about an hour ago was that they expect her to recover but the next twenty four hours will be dangerous for her."

"Can I go…?" he began.

"No, dear, I'm afraid not," she replied softly. "Only Ron and her parents are permitted. We'll just have to wait it out."

Harry was having a difficult time grasping what he was hearing. Anytime that he had seen one of his two best friends during the past months she had seemed so alive, so healthy. There were never any complaints about her condition or indications that she was anything but happy and looking forward to motherhood. He leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. He could feel Abagail and Ginny pressed up against his side, each holding a hand. He tried to picture the scene at the hospital, most likely similar to what he saw with his Uncle Vernon. His best friend, lying in the bed, with wires and tubes running to monitors and other devices. Ron and Mr. and Mrs. Granger sitting around the bed, tired, worn and worried.

He could see Hermione's face clearly, so pale and framed with that bushy brown hair that he could easily pick out in the most crowded of places. It wasn't fair that this was the way it turned out. The birth of a child should be a joyous event and she should be laying there sleeping peacefully without all the medical gear, her facing showing some fatigue, yes, but rosy and perhaps with a hint of a smile. It was this image he now built for himself and wished so fervently to be true.

He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there like that, it could have been moments or hours, but eventually voices began to intrude on his awareness and he opened his eyes. He could tell the mood in the room had changed. The looks on the faces of his family weren't so somber.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We've just had word, Harry. It appears Hermione is tougher than we thought and her condition has improved significantly. She'll likely have to be in hospital a few days more but it looks like she's turned the corner," Mrs. Weasley said.

It took a while but hugs were exchanged all around. Noticeably absent for Harry was one from Fleur. She had remained at home with the children while Bill sat vigil with the rest. He felt oddly disappointed. Mrs. Weasley suggested a bit of food would be in order to allow some recovery for those who would be Disapparating home. Hungry and distracted did not make for safe travel, she said. While the preparations were ongoing Harry wandered outside into the crisp night air to stare up into the dark, star studded sky.

"Harry?"

He turned to see Ginny standing just outside the front door with a heavy shawl over her shoulders. Her face was a mask of concern.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm pretty far from alright, Gin, but I'm better than I was a little while ago. The only thing that would be worse than losing Hermione would be losing you," he said as he held his arms out to her.

Ginny came forward into the circle of his arms and wrapped hers around his waist. He laid his check against the top of her head and they held each other without speaking. Eventually Ginny said,

"Come on, sweetheart. The food should be ready. Mum won't be satisfied until she sees that you've eaten something."

He merely nodded and with an arm still around each other they walked back inside to ease at least one burden. It was two days before word came that Hermione could have visitors and Harry was expected to be the first. Those two days had been difficult but manageable as reports were received several times a day that Hermione was making steady improvement. Harry left school right after class that Thursday with promises to be back by late evening, as a number of students wanted some guidance with their projects.

He Disapparated to the Burrow where Mr. Weasley drove him to the Heavitree Hospital in the Wonford section of Exeter. Harry thanked his dad and assured him he could get home from here easily enough. He told Harry to let Hermione know that he and Mrs. Weasley would come out the next day. Harry entered the hospital and approached the information desk. Suffice to say he was the perfect image of a muggle.

"Yes, sir, may I help you?" the duty nurse asked.

"Yes, could you please direct me to Mrs. Hermione Weasley's room?"

"One moment please," she said as she tapped on the keyboard of her computer. "Ah, I see she's been moved to maternity from critical care. Just follow the signs but it says she already has several members of the family visiting. Your name, sir?"

"Harry Potter."

"Oh, yes, there's a note here. You can go up and they'll have someone step out. Apparently Mrs. Weasley is anxious to see you," the nurse said with a smile.

Harry offered his thanks and used the lift and followed the signs and eventually found his way to the door of Hermione's room. He knocked softly and stuck his head in. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked up and he nodded and smiled. He made eye contact with Hermione and the burden he had been carrying the last few days disappeared. Her eyes were bright, she had none of the pallor he had imagined and she was smiling.

"There you are, it's about time," she said, the teasing evident in her tone.

He simply smiled and entered the room, pausing to exchange hugs and handshakes with Hermione's parents. Mrs. Granger looked at her daughter and said,

"We'll leave you two alone for a few moments and go find Ron. He went off to get some tea."

Harry watched them leave and then he turned and reached out to take Hermione's hand. Fortunately she just had a few wires hooked up. The tubes Harry imagined weren't there.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Not too bad, all in all," she replied. "Still a little tired but considering where I was I guess I'm doing pretty well."

"You had me really scared there for a while, Hermione. I thought I was going to lose you."

She squeezed his hand and smiled a bit, her eyes starting to fill, but she didn't say anything for a moment or two and then she replied,

"You'll not be rid of me so easily or so soon, Harry. The three of us still have a long journey ahead of us. Hogwarts was just the beginning."

"I certainly hope so," he responded, his voice rough with emotion.

"And what? I don't get a hug?" she asked with a smirk.

As best he could he got an arm around her shoulders and gently squeezed while her hands held his free arm. When he let go and stood back up she looked at him and with a tilt of her head regarded him for a bit and then said,

"You know, Harry. It's odd, but as I lay here looking at you it almost seems like we did this already."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, I get the distinct impression that I could see you watching me but before, when I was really sick. It was like I was in this dark cold place and then you were standing there, just watching, and then it felt warm and safe and I didn't have anything to fear. Do you think I was dreaming?"

"I don't know, Hermione. I know when I heard about what happened, I was thinking about you and wishing really hard for you to get better," he said with a shrug.

Again she smiled her reply.

"Hey, mate, good to see you," Ron said from behind him.

Harry turned and saw his first and best friend standing in the door way. Either he hadn't found the tea or the Grangers had relieved him of it because in about two seconds he and Harry were sharing a bear hug and some back slaps. After a moment or two they let go of each other and Harry asked,

"How're you holding up?"

"Better now. I thought I was used to this sort of thing with all the practice we had with you but this was completely different. I've never been so scared in all my life, Harry. I'd gladly have tea with Aragog and his family rather than go through this again."

"I know what you mean, mate."

Harry stayed for well over an hour and then it was time to go, for Hermione was still in need of more sleep. Harry relayed the information that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would be out before lunchtime tomorrow and he would spread the word that she was doing much better. After kisses, hugs and handshakes Harry left the hospital and first Disapparated home to share the news with Ginny and Abagail and then he stopped at the Burrow to put the news out on the Weasley telegraph. Then it was back to school. He was able to meet with his students in a much better frame of mind. The Headmistress stopped by and after receiving the welcome news she indicated she would inform the rest of the faculty as they had expressed concern for Hermione's welfare.

It was three more days before Hermione was discharged from the hospital with orders for a week's bed rest at home. Apparently the telegraph had more reach than previously thought for on the second day at home, Hermione received a visit from Mrs. DuBonais-Henderson and before she left she provided Hermione with a tonic she claimed was particularly effective as a blood restorative. The fact that Hermione was up and walking only two days later confirmed this fact.

The remainder of the month of November held far less stress than its beginning. Hermione showed continued and rapid progress in regaining her health and strength. Little Rose showed no signs of any problems associated with the difficult birth and exhibited only the usual behaviors that can drive new parents to distraction. Fortunately Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger formed a very effective partnership and Rose's mum and dad were never without assistance as needed.

This all allowed Harry to return his attention to his plans for his visit to the Black Sea Academy. So it was, after the exchange of several messages, Harry would be making his way to the school to arrive early on the first Monday in December. He was going to fly under cover of darkness, arranging the timing so he would set down a bit south of the grounds just before dawn. He was also going to be carrying Bill's invisibility charm, which his brother assured him would keep him masked from all but the most keen of observers and even they would only have a vague sense of his presence.

The directions supplied to Harry would have him arriving on the northern coastal region not too far above Cape Kaliakra. The school occupied an old fortress that as far as passing muggles were concerned was a derelict heap of rubble. To say that his flight there was enjoyable would have been a drastic understatement. He made use of his trick of 'pushing' out behind him but only to a moderate degree. He kept his speed at approximately three hundred knots and the roughly nineteen hundred mile trip, as the dragon flies, lasted just over six hours. Since magic supplied most of the effort he knew he would have to eat right after landing but he was surprised that he wasn't as bad off as he thought he might have been. It seemed it was a rather economical means of transportation.

Standing in a flat grassy area south of the school and just inland from the cliffs overlooking the shoreline Harry ate several sandwiches that were supplied by Nibs and tucked into his back pack. He also drained his water bottle. As the sun was cresting the eastern horizon Harry checked his robe for any crumbs or other debris and then shouldered his pack and made his way towards what he could see as the front gate to the school. He walked up the short path to the gated entrance and as he looked for an attendant or keeper a voice which appeared to emanate from a garish looking face that was carved in the stonework at the side of the gate was heard. It sounded like Bulgarian and it had the tone of a question so Harry replied,

"Professor Harry Potter, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, here by invitation."

"Velcome Professor, you are expected. Please proceed," the voice said in heavily accented English.

The gate swung open and Harry proceeded through with a nod to the immobile face. The fortress encompassed a group of buildings; all built of a light grey stone, the largest standing directly in front of him. As he approached the steps leading to the entrance, the large door swung inward and several people hurried out to meet him. He could see that he knew two of them, Professor Dragonova and Professor Markovic and a third man, who looked to be of middle age, that Harry hadn't seen before.

"Professor Potter, how very vunderful to see you. I trust your trip vent vell?" Professor Dragonova asked by way of greeting.

"Yes, ma'am it did. I hope my getting here this early isn't an inconvenience."

"Not at all, Professor. Please, let us go inside. Breakfast is still a vile avay," she replied.

He walked up the several steps and met the three on the landing. All three were smiling, genuinely so, therefore Harry assumed the wizard he didn't know wasn't one of the 'problem' ones.

"Professor Potter, this is Herr Steinman. He handles all the administrative duties here at the school. I suppose you would call him a chamberlain or provost, perhaps."

The man came to attention with a slight click of his heels and bowed slightly to Harry and said,

"It is a pleasure to finally make your acqvaintance, Professor," Herr Steinman said.

Harry was sure there was more than a little Prussian in the wizard's background.

"The pleasure is mine, sir," Harry returned with a small nod.

"This vay if you please," Steinman said with a short sweep of his arm in the direction of the main door. "If you are in need of anything during your stay, sir, please do not hesitate to call upon me."

"Thank you."

"I thought we could have a short meeting before breakfast," Professor Dragonova began, "and go over the plan for the next two days."

"That would be great," Harry said.

He walked between the two Professors and the early morning quiet was somewhat eerie in the still dimly lit corridor. It reminded Harry of those times when he was out and about in the hallways of Hogwarts after hours and he commented so.

"Yes, I can remember very much the same thing, Harry," Professor Markovic said with a laugh. "I had occasion to be out after curfew a time or two. Regardless of the castle they all have that same feeling."

Harry had to smile and laugh to himself. In the time that he had spent with the jovial wizard during his time at Hogwarts he got the distinct impression that while he may not have been up to George and Fred's standard he would rank him right in there with Lee Jordan.

"Harry," Eva Dragonova began, "just so you are avare, I have been appointed the acting Head for the Academy. The search committee has still not found a suitable candidate for the position."

"I'd imagine they are being particularly careful after what happened," he replied.

"So very true," she said, looking at him with a sidelong glance as they walked. "I don't suppose there is another one of you out there somevere?"

Harry laughed and said,

"No, ma'am. I'm afraid there's jus the one."

Harry and the three others spent close to an hour and a half going over the details of what he could expect for the next two days. Since none of the students had been exposed to Harry before he was set to give a general lecture, similar to his first at Hogwarts to the entire student body directly after breakfast. Then he would accompany Professor Markovic for the remainder of his time there working with the various age groups of witches and wizards in training. He would also conduct a discussion group with the older students during his one evening. Eva looked at him near the end of the discussion and asked,

"This is not going to be too much for you is it, Harry? I imagine the trip here must have been at least a little fatiguing."

"I think it should be just fine, Eva. I find I have quite a lot of energy when I'm working with students. I'll probably sleep for twenty four hours when I get home but that's alright, too," he said with a smile.

Their discussion was interrupted by a small chime. Eva looked up and said,

"Ah, breakfast is ready. Harry, I should tell you that we do things differently here. Ve don't have just the one large dining facility as you have at Hogvarts or they do at Beauxbaton. Ve have several smaller rooms, divided by grade and a separate room for the faculty."

Harry simply nodded his understanding. He felt either system had its advantages and disadvantages and it really wasn't an issue for him either way. The room he was escorted to was elegant without being ostentatious and provided the opportunity for discussions to take place while eating. He was able to renew acquaintances with the other faculty including Professors Ivanov and Ivanova. He spent a fair amount of his time discussing the expanded projects initiative with several instructors seated near him and they found the idea very interesting.

After the meal was concluded the day began. And what a day it was. His lecture was delivered in an auditorium that looks like it may have originally been a training facility for horse riding or even fighting. The seats and podium looked new but the structure was as old as the rest of the grounds and to Harry it had a military feel to it. As he spoke he could see a mixture of reactions. He saw some of the same that he had witnessed at Beauxbaton but it appeared that for most of the one hundred and fifty or so students it was more curiosity and when the topic involved something exciting, frightening, or both, real interest.

As to language he was told the student body generally had a fair grasp of English and for those who didn't some individual assistance was provided. They were discussing with Beauxbaton what was necessary for the translation charm they had in use for Harry's visits. Once the individual classes began it became even more interesting. The little ones, who had no exposure to the anti-Harry sentiments at Durmstrang regarded him as one might expect of younger children meeting a rather exotic and famous personage. A sort of nervous awe that gradually gave way to avid interest as Harry's engaging nature took hold.

He had to work at it a bit harder with the older students that night during the discussion group. At least half the group of students had spent time at the old school and was visibly uncomfortable in Harry's presence. He did his best to put them at ease, to include sitting among them, leaving his hat off to expose his unruly hair in all its glory and smiling as much as he could. By the time the evening was finished he felt he had made progress with at least some of the students. The one sour note in the entire visit came during lunch on the second day. It was to be a semi-formal affair including the entire faculty and the dozen members of the Board of Directors.

Professor Dragonova, as acting Head, introduced Harry to each member of the board. At breakfast that morning she had explained that each Director had contributed a significant amount of money to help get the school up and running and a position on the Board was part of the arrangement. The three 'problems' as she referred to them had come on late in the game and had secured their positions by providing the last sums needed to finish in time for the opening, but they donated much less than the others had. This had created some ill will with the others who felt the three latecomers had taken advantage of the situation. To compound things they were very vocal in their support of the old Durmstrang ways and very strident in their denunciations of one Professor Harry Potter.

As Harry was making the rounds he had a very good idea who these three were, a witch and two wizards, all at least twice his age and they were regarding him with thinly veiled contempt. When it came time for introductions they didn't even bother to shake his offered hand. Harry could feel Professor Dragonova's outrage but he kept his expression mild. He was already formulating his answering gambit.

At the sound of the chimes everyone found their seats at the tables that had been arranged in a large U shape to allow everyone maximum visibility of the other diners. Once they were all seated, an elderly wizard, who had been introduced to Harry as the President of the Board, rose and began to speak.

"I vould like to take this opportunity to velcome to the Black Sea Academy of Magic Professor Harry Potter, who vas so instrumental in arranging for and participating in the visits of our faculty to the esteemed institutions of Hogvarts and Beauxbaton. On behalf of the Board of Directors, the faculty and staff and the students ve thank you for all your efforts."

Harry nodded and was about to offer a few words of appreciation of the invitation when a voice cut him off.

"Perhaps not on behalf of all the Board," offered one of the 'problems'.

The Board President regarded the offensive wizard with a look of resigned frustration. He said,

"Stefan, I thought ve agreed ve vould not discuss these issues during the Professor's visit."

"I'm afraid it is too late for that, my esteemed Mr. President. It vas evident that the Professor has already heard of our issues, as you put it," he said, turning to regard Harry, as if to gauge his reaction.

The President looked at Harry, his chagrin plainly showing. Harry decided it was time to make his opening move.

"The gentleman is correct, sir. I am aware that there are some divisive issues within your Board but that's not terribly uncommon. I am also aware that I seem to sit at the center of at least one of those issues," Harry said, shifting his gaze from the President to the one named Stefan.

"Indeed you are, for not all assembled here hold you in such high regard."

Harry looked at the wizard and then his two confederates who likewise wore that same smug, arrogant expression. They reminded him a great deal of Lucius Malfoy. He smiled a bit and said,

"I'm actually glad to hear that. Universal adulation would tend to get tiresome after awhile."

This comment got a few murmurs and at least one laugh.

"In fact, sir, I'm all too well aware of what I'll call the opposition opinion of me. Let me see, I believe expressions such as 'dangerous radical' and 'false wizard' have been used. And I suppose this is the point where I say that I don't take any offense and that everyone is welcome to their own opinion. But, if truth be told, I do take offense, and I find your opinion to both worthless and a threat to what this school is attempting to accomplish," Harry said as he stood up, his every move being watched by everyone in the room.

He began to walk from his place not too far from the Board President around one leg of the 'U' shaped table towards the other leg. He continued to speak as he walked.

"Now, having declared my offended state, in centuries past I might simply take it upon myself to blast the three of you into nothingness. Actually, I've met a wizard or two who would still do such, if they were alive, but that's not really a very modern way of thinking."

By now he had entered the space between the table sections and came to stand directly in front of the trio of 'problems'. Without a backward glance or audible sound he gestured behind him with his hand and the chair he had been sitting on slowly rose and drifted towards him. He brought it down softly behind him and sat down, never taking his eyes of the three.

"If I wanted to appear more civilized I suppose I could challenge you to a duel, one at a time or all at once, but again it really doesn't fit my image very well, now does it. So what to do? It's obvious that you three are here for no reason other than to undermine the direction the rest of the board and the faculty are hoping to take this school. To be perfectly honest, I won't permit you to do that."

The wizard named Stefan nearly choked on his indignation but he finally found his voice and said,

"You von't permit? How dare you come here and declare that ve are somehow subservient to your vishes."

"You aren't subservient to my wishes. But you should be to the wishes of the students and their families who wanted this school established to get them away from the very policies to which you are advocating a return. It just so happens that their wishes align themselves with my personal philosophies so we have that happy coincidence to work from. But as I said, I can't employ the simple expedient that was so popular with my first nemesis, Tom Riddle, which would be to eliminate you. I will however offer this. It is my understanding that you three obtained your position on the Board at a significant discount, taking advantage of the approaching deadline to open the school and the shortage of funds that still existed. So, if the board chooses to vote you out, which I understand it can do, I will provide the funds to repay what you provided and sever any obligation that they might feel they have. In addition, I will provide additional moneys on a yearly basis to fund scholarships for three students, regardless of background, to attend Black Sea," Harry concluded, looking across the table, the challenge clearly evident.

"This is preposterous," the other wizard of the trio said.

"Not at all," the Board President said, "the Professor is quite correct in stating that the Board can vote to remove a member if the vote is called and seconded. And vile it may not be absolutely necessary to return your financial contributions, I believe it would be the proper thing to do, in the event of a removal. I suggest we take up the issue at the next Board meeting, vich conveniently is set for tonight."

Harry calmly regarded his adversaries from across the table and watched for any reaction. There was quite a bit of agitation evident in their faces but no overt action. Harry smiled a bit and said,

"Check and mate."


	40. Chapter 40

Professor Potter, Chapter 40

"Ron, darling, have you ever noticed that when our Harry gets annoyed, the most amazing things seem to occur?" Hermione asked her husband.

Ron was sitting next to her on the couch, one arm resting behind her on the top of the cushions. With a facial expression and a tone of voice that would have done a Cambridge Don justice he replied,

"I do believe you're correct, my dear. All it takes is that scowl of his and everyone is looking for something to do or someplace to be."

Harry was sitting in a chair across from his two best friends and their weeks old daughter who was cradled in Hermione's arms and looking at them with narrowed eyes behind those big round glasses. It was patently obvious that they were having a go at him, but considering the way things might have turned out with regards to Hermione and little Rose he was more than willing to let them have their fun. He had come to pay a visit the Saturday after he returned from his trip to Bulgaria to share his story but more importantly to share some time. The scare that he had gotten served as a powerful reminder that he wasn't spending as much time as he thought he should with his family. As to the gentle ribbing he just shook his head a bit and then Hermione continued,

"Seriously though, Harry, I think you handled that whole situation very well. Offering up the money to allow the board to vote those three off was brilliant. It will make people think twice that the only way you deal with situations is with devastating magic."

"I loved the bit with the chair, mate. That must have really gotten their attention," Ron said.

Harry laughed a bit and with a half smile said,

"That almost didn't work. They had these old antique chairs that were made out of some really dense wood. Trying to move it without a wand and not shouting out the charm was almost too much for me. Fortunately they had me pretty annoyed, as you said, by then so that helped. They reminded me a lot of Lucius Malfoy from that time in Flourish and Blotts at the start of our second year, when he slipped Ginny the diary. That same smug, condescending attitude. That pretty much convinced me they needed to go."

"Good riddance," Hermione said. "So, tell us about this new school. What is it like?"

"Well, it's interesting. They've had to make some adjustments to deal with the fact that Durmstrang was basically nonfunctional for the last few years. Not all the kids were able to make the move to Beauxbaton. Some were homeschooled and others were taught in small groups where there were larger concentrations of magical folks. So right now, the first year class consists of students that would be in one through three at Hogwarts. It's a fairly large group but not unmanageable. After this year the new first years will all be ten year olds, they felt they want to start them earlier than we do. Plus they are doing it with two tiers I'd guess you'd say. The first tier will be one through six years who will finish up with a comprehensive exam set that will be in between our OWLS and NEWTs. For anyone wanting to go on to more advanced education they'll have an additional two years and it will be in areas like pre-healer training, running a magical business and so on, sort of like you'd get in a muggle university."

"Wow, they really put some thought into this, Harry," she said. "I was expecting them to just do things like we or Beauxbaton do."

"I think we all did, but I guess they are responding to what they saw happen at Durmstrang and decided that with the opportunity for a fresh start they'd rethink everything," he replied.

"How are they deciding what students go to what houses?" Ron asked.

"They aren't going with separate houses, Ron. They feel with everything that has happened and the need to have a strong unified student body to keep the school moving forward they wanted to eliminate what they see as a built in source of division. Considering the issues we've had with Slytherin in the past, they may be on to something."

"What about Quidditch? How are they going to make that work then?"

"There is no Quidditch competitions for the first year. They just had too much to deal with getting things up and running. It's my understanding that after the mid-year break they are going to look at holding tryouts and get some teams organized for the next year. There was some discussion about doing the summer camp thing to help get that started. I'm sure Viktor will be involved rather heavily in all that," Harry said.

"I'm sure of it," Ron replied.

"What are they doing about older students that left Durmstrang and couldn't make it to Beauxbaton?" Hermione asked.

"They had entrance tests for them during the summer and they were slotted into whatever year the exam results indicated. That's one of the reasons why no Quidditch this year. They had to get all this other stuff sorted."

"Sounds like it's going to be pretty crazy around there for a while," Ron said.

"Not as much as you might think, Ron. Different definitely, what with the age groups and returning older students but they have it pretty well organized. The wizard who handles the administrative end of things is very organized, very detail oriented, very driven. Sounds like someone we all know," Harry replied with a sly smile aimed at Hermione. Hermione just smiled back at him.

"So, how are you feeling, Mrs. Weasley? You certainly look a lot better," Harry asked in all sincerity.

"I am, Harry. They did a really good job at the hospital taking care of me, and that tonic Mrs. DuBonais provided did wonders. I could use a little more sleep but that's every new parent's burden as you're well aware."

"Yes, indeed, although I managed a couple of good nights a week when I stayed up at Hogwarts," Harry said and then with a bit of an embarrassed smile asked, "Could I hold her for a bit, do you think?"

"Well, of course. Rose needs to get to know her Uncle Harry."

They both stood up and Hermione carefully handed Rose to Harry who cradled her most expertly. He looked down and made eye contact with his new niece and a brief vision flashed across his mind's eye. It must have registered on his face because Hermione said,

"What is it? You had a funny look on your face there for a second, Harry."

"I'm not sure, Hermione, but for some reason I have this feeling that I'm holding a future Headmistress," he said.

"Wow," Hermione replied.

"Yeah, that's terrific, but do me a favor and don't start trying to teach her to read just yet, will ya?" Ron said to his wife with a bit of a smirk.

Harry had a second report to deliver on his time at the Black Sea school and it was to the faculty of Hogwarts on Monday after classes had concluded. They were all anxious to hear how the school had turned out. Harry relayed all the information that he had given to Ron and Hermione but the emphasis was shifted more in favor of academics and less on the confrontation with the three 'problems'. This worked only so far and then Professor Flitwick asked for more details regarding that particular situation. It seemed that the normally mild mannered little wizard took great interest in any of Harry's adventures that involved the use of charms. When he was finished Professor McGonagall said,

"I must say, well done, Harry. I think you may have helped them more in that short period of time than all the work we did the month they were here. That kind of undermining could have ruined everything they have been working to achieve. I can't say I necessarily agree with how they've structured everything but I'm probably not the best judge, set in my ways as I am."

"Oh, I don't know, Professor, you've managed to tolerate me and my peculiarities pretty well," Harry said with a smile. "There is one more thing I need to mention, ma'am."

"What would that be?"

"During the dinner on the second day we were discussing some different ideas and it was suggested that we had managed to do a lot with the exchange of information during their time here and at Beauxbaton. We thought that maybe something more regular would be helpful for all concerned. The idea was to have a conference similar to what we established during my Ministry days. A conference during the summer, for a few days, to exchange ideas, discuss problems and just stay in touch. Each school would take a turn hosting and the host school would take the lead in arranging that year's conference."

"That sounds very intriguing, Professor," the Headmistress said. "It would certainly help support their efforts and staying connected would go a long way in addressing some of our other concerns," she said, looking at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought so, too."

"Yes, I believe we can agree to this idea and support it. My guess is you'd be the one to contact Beauxbaton to solicit their involvement?"

"Actually, no," Harry said with a smile. "Professor Dragonova and Madame Maxime hit it off pretty well while they were visiting. She's already taking care of it."

"Ah, excellent. I'll give some thought to this and when we here about Beauxbaton we can decide how we wish to proceed. I see it's nearly time for dinner so why don't we adjourn for now," the Headmistress said by way of closing the meeting.

The Christmas season was rapidly approaching. In fact, the holiday break was only a matter of days away and Harry's last major effort was a final meeting of the sixth years to get progress reports on their projects. Harry was pleased to see that enthusiasm was running high. It served to justify his insistence that for those projects that had an element of danger, such as the man eating plants and the high speed broom, that they be reviewed for safety. Harry's past experience with dangerous greenery made him a bit sensitive to the issue.

In fact, the team that was working on the broom were very excited to report that they had come up some interesting parallels with muggle aeronautics and were pursuing several lines of inquiry that could prove very interesting. When Harry pressed for more details they demurred, respectfully, that they weren't quite prepared to reveal anything more at this time.

The pair that were working on the psychology of ghosts project reported that they were getting some very excellent cooperation from the resident ghosts at Hogwarts. It was reported that Moaning Myrtle would actually stop moaning when she was talked to. One of the two researchers suggested that the young ghost could be the subject of an entire project since she hadn't really wanted to be a ghost but there she was. Perhaps something about the way she died had caused it. Harry indicated he would keep that in mind. By the time the evening session was completed he was quite satisfied with what he had heard, and said so.

The Potter household was swinging into the Christmas season with great enthusiasm. Having previously decided that despite the actual day being celebrated at the Burrow they would still decorate their home, Ginny and Abagail were going all out. Each window contained a wreath that held a small magical candle that burned with a cool flame that didn't melt the wax or threaten to set the house ablaze. A magnificent tree stood in the corridor near the front door and reached nearly to the top of the vaulted ceiling. Garland was in great abundance and the scent of pine was pervasive. It put Harry in a decidedly festive mood and he found many reasons to smile as he went about the house.

On the last Saturday afternoon before school was due to end for the holidays Harry hosted the Tome Study group for a bit of holiday cheer in the living room. A combination of refreshments were laid out and while the conversation centered on the progress that was being made, it was a discussion with a relaxed, cheerful tone.

"Well, Harry, if young Angus hasn't already told you, we've nearly completed the correlation of the pictographic section with that of the ancient Greek. I'd think we are perhaps a month away from the end of that effort. Then we can proceed with, what I hope, is a straight forward translation from the Greek to English. I say hope because we are all two aware of your friend's tendency to layer his coding, as Mrs. Weasley and Professor Flitwick have found," Professor Vector said.

"Speaking of which," the little academic chimed in, "Hermione and I have made what we believe is a major breakthrough in our section. Why don't you tell them, my dear?"

"Certainly, Professor Flitwick," Hermione replied. "Actually it all stemmed from a bit of luck on my part that corrected a mistake I made. When we copied out sections of the Latin portion I wrote it out as I would, just writing until I came to the edge of the page and moving down to the next line. This is not how Merlin had written it. If you view the original pages you'll see that each line contains precisely the same number of words, twelve. In point of fact, it was my husband Ron who spotted it. We often discuss the project when we are together of nights. A few weeks ago we were here visiting and I happened to show Ron the original pages and he commented about the way Merlin had written it out and how it resembled a chessboard in a way. For some reason that brought to mind what Harry had found in that essay that Professor Slughorn had asked Harry to read. Professor Flitwick and I started to pay attention to how that portion was written as much as what was written."

Hermione paused and smiled a bit at Harry before continuing.

"Harry's friend is clever, fiendishly so, but he also seems to be consistent. He stuck with the pattern of four except this time it was spatial. He laid the words of a sentence out so that they occupied spaces like on a chessboard but bigger."

At this point she pulled out a sheet of parchment that showed a diagram like a chessboard, only with a twelve by twelve grid instead of the traditional eight by eight, with words in each square. The pattern was thus. The first word occupied the first square of the top row, the second word the fourth square, the third word occupied the first square of the fourth row, the fourth word the fourth square. Then he would go back to the first row putting the fifth word in the second square and proceed. In other words, the pattern of four corners would march across the page and then down. To further complicate matters, the geometry resulted in four quadrants, six by six, going from top left to top right than down to bottom left to bottom right. This was why the mistake of simply copying the words out in Hermione's tight neat script completely destroyed the coding as the number of words in each line was simply based on how many fit, therefore jumbling the pattern hopelessly.

The assembled group collectively nodded their approval. Hermione, blushing a bit, went on.

"This is why the translation to English resulted in such a garbled mess. We had been chasing our own tails for a while there, I'm afraid."

"Hermione, come on. We are wrestling with one, if not the, greatest minds of our kind. I don't think anyone of us would think badly of someone going down a blind alley or two before we discover something. Well done to the two of you, and Ron as well, for cracking the code."

This was seconded by all assembled. Professor Sprout was next with good news about the fragrant oil that they had extracted from the plant that had been mentioned in the English section of the tome. The report from St. Mungo's was all in the positive. As suspected, it cured nothing but it went very far in easing or relieving completely the effects of all manner of chronic conditions, easing pain, loosening stiff joints, and the like. Several seventh year herbology students were engaged in a project to increase the number of plants available, harvest seeds from existing plants and establish a larger scale production of the oil. St. Mungo's was making arrangements to provide financial support for this effort, so it wouldn't be a drain on the endowment Harry had established.

Harry's buoyant mood was noticeable that night at dinner.

"Well, it seems like someone is as happy as a garden gnome in hedgerow," Ginny said.

It was just the two of them plus James and Albus. Abagail had gone with Angus, Gabrielle and Gregory Mendel to Diagon Alley for some Christmas shopping and dining at the Cauldron.

"Well, I've gotten some good news these last few days. The projects are going well at school, some real solid progress is being made with the Tome study and I think we're on our way to establishing some more solid links with the other schools. And not the least of which both you and Hermione are healthy and strong, as are the children, after some rough times. All reasons to be happy I'd think."

"I couldn't agree with you more, sweetheart. I think this is going to be a wonderful Christmas, all the way around."

Harry couldn't help but agree. Therefore it should come as no surprise to anyone that when later that evening as he was sitting by the fireplace in the living room he found himself slipping into that relaxed, not-quite-asleep doze that usually brought him to that gray place. As the gray lightened and he could see the swirling mists he half expected to see his mother or father emerge. It was a surprise therefore when a ancient figure in ornate robes appeared.

"Ah, young Harry. How excellent it is to see you again. I had worried it would be some length of time before I would be able to converse with you again."

"Merlin? I hadn't expected to see you again at all, sir. What brings you to this place?" Harry said, amazed.

"Why, what brings everyone to this place, my young friend. You. This is a place of your making and all those that have links to you can find it," the aged wizard said with a wry smile.

As Harry pondered this he took a moment to closely look at the legendary figure. While still obviously wearing his great age written plainly on his face, he didn't look nearly as old as when Harry came across him in that rocky chamber.

"If I may say, sir, you are looking much younger than I recall."

"Well, this is a place of spirit after all, and it would appear my spirit managed to stay younger than my mortal body. It had been suggested numerous times that I should try to act my age. I fear had I ever taken that advice seriously I would have died eons ago," this time the smile being much broader as he spoke. "And you appear to be in rather fine spirits yourself."

"Yes, sir. All in all things are going very well at the moment. We are making some progress with your legacy as well. We all marvel at the cleverness of your techniques to conceal the contents. Fiendishly clever it has been said," Harry replied with a smile of his own.

"I will accept those comments as compliments, young Harry," Merlin said with a slight bow. "My life would most certainly have been much shorter had I not been so fiendishly clever. I'm most pleased to hear that you are making progress with my work. But more so I am most pleased, and surprised, at how you have handled this affair. Bringing together your colleagues in such a way was not how I had envisioned this."

"You thought I would have been able to unlock your secrets myself, sir? I doubt I could have done that if I had dedicated a hundred years to it," Harry said in astonishment.

"I would contest that assumption, young fellow, but it would be pointless. Suffice to say your almost instinctive tendency to cooperative efforts speaks well of you and leads me to expect great things in the future."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said with a bit of embarrassment, and in an attempt to change the subject he asked, "How are you getting on here, sir? Has it turned out as you had hoped?"

"My only hope was to be rid of my mortal existence so…" the mage said with a shrug, "but I have found this to be a most fulfilling experience. I have had a chance to catch up with history so to speak. My awareness was only able to catch a bit here and there. It has been very educational particularly where you are concerned, young Harry," Merlin said, turning serious for a moment. "I'm afraid you left much out during our first meeting. As impressive as I found your telling, the details that I have discovered in conversations with those that know you has only increased my regard for you as a wizard, but more importantly as a person, a man. I'm convinced that I could have found no better heir to my legacy," and his tone turned lighter, "but I can see saying such has caused you discomfort, and that too is to your credit. I must say that one thing that I find most fascinating is the relationship between you and your mother."

"My mother, sir?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yes. She and I have had many conversations. There is so much of her in your character, Harry. The bond between you is incredibly strong."

"I sometimes wonder about that, sir. The way that she has been able to appear so clearly now. In all my reading I've not come across anything like it. She's not like the ghosts at Hogwarts. I don't understand it," Harry said.

"Perhaps I can help you some there, Harry. I myself have given it some significant attention. Let us begin with the manner of her death. Or first this, all things that live possess what I will call an essence, that which animates our being and separates us from the rocks or clouds. In addition, we humans possess spirit. I suppose other creatures may as well but I've never come across such so I don't know. Essence and spirit are not the same. When we die our essence dissipates but our spirits continue on, usually to the next plane but for some they choose to remain and become ghosts.

"Now, back to your mother. As was your father and many others, she was victim of the killing curse as wielded by Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort. As you know, Avada Kedavra strips it's victims of their lives, that is their essence. But what it also does, I strongly believe, is strips it so quickly that the spirit gets caught up, bound together in a way. Now, to further complicate matters we are dealing with a mother's love for her child, perhaps the strongest emotion, or as Dumbledore says, the most potent magic there is."

"You've spoken to Professor Dumbledore, sir?"

"Oh, indeed. A more interesting fellow I have not come across in millennia."

Harry had to marvel at what those meetings must have been like.

"So, what we have is an instance where essence and spirit, bound by the effects of the spell, heightened by the emotion and or magic of your mother's intense love for her son all stripped away and who just happens to be in close proximity?"

"I suppose you're referring to me, sir."

"Indeed. I understand that your mentor once told you that the special magic was alive in your very skin, correct?"

"Yes, sir, when I was in the hospital wing at the end of my first year," Harry replied.

"Precisely. The effect of the first curse directed at your mother was to combine all that she possessed, her essence, her spirit, her love, and infused it into your skin. The result was an armour that repelled the second spell that stripped Voldemort of all that he was, well almost all. The affects of his horcruxes kept some small part alive as you well know."

Harry could see Merlin grimace at the mention of that most evil of magic.

"So you see, young Harry, you sat at the center of not one, but two intense magical events that left their mark on you. Every child is a product of his or her parents, but you take it somewhat further. You carry with you still, I believe, a large part of what your mother was, not to mention part of what Voldemort was as you came to understand."

"But how does all that have to do with my mother being able to appear so strongly?" Harry asked.

"Simply this. She is because you are. As I said, you carry with you so much of what your mother was that she lives through you, literally. And as you have become stronger, that projection becomes stronger as well. You form the path through which she enters the world and your power sustains her manifestation. As long as you live, so does she, in a way. You live because she carried you and bought you into the world. Now, you are returning the favor."

Harry found this revelation stunning. He had always assumed that the idea that his mother's sacrifice had triggered some ancient magic that had shielded him to be almost metaphorical. That it was all about some spell or natural phenomenon. The idea that the essence and spirit that was his mother was actually resident in him was earthshaking.

"I can see that this comes as something of a shock to you, Harry. Understand that it is somewhat speculative on my part, but it is strongly supported by what I know and have come to understand since you provided for my release. I am confident I am correct, at least in large part."

"It does make a certain sense, sir, but it will take some thought to come to terms with. It certainly suggests that the world is a lot stranger than I would have thought, not all that long ago."

Merlin laughed as he said,

"As you grow in years, experience and wisdom, you will find it to be even more so. In all my years it never ceased to amaze me how what I discovered revealed just how strange. I think it might be proper for us to end this particular discussion, my young friend. You have much to consider and I have much to investigate. I look forward to our next meeting."

"Yes, sir. As do I."

With that the image of the mage disappeared back into the mists. Harry slowly rose up out of that place and became aware of the darkened room as the fire had burned down considerably. He got up and put some more wood on the flames and went back to sit so he could look out the large window at the night sky and think about what had just transpired. He would still be there as the dawn began to brighten the sky.


	41. Chapter 41

Professor Potter, Chapter 41

Christmas had been, as usual, a wonderfully chaotic time at the Burrow, with the expanding child count adding to the mayhem. The number of toys was growing geometrically and the adults were learning how to walk with one eye down and the other sweeping ahead. There was a lot of wizards chess played and there was the unusual addition of muggle Christmas music. It seems that Mr. Weasley had acquired an old radio and the means to power it and was having a great deal of fun tuning in stations and messing about with the aerial. Harry had come up with one very interesting present of which to take note.

He hadn't forgotten about what he and Angelina had been discussing that day at the shop. After some extensive study and discussions with his dad he snuck into the ice cream shop very early Christmas morning and made use of the enlarging spell that had worked so nicely on Arthur Weasley's cars. He added just enough room to allow Angelina the ability to put in a second display case so she could expand the baked goods section of the store.

During the exchange of gifts he simply gave Angelina a card that suggested she look for her present in the shop the next morning. The following morning, Boxing Day, at the Potter house had been essentially a day of recovery with little in the way of activity other than helping James play with his new acquisitions and some reading. However, around noon, a rather excited Angelina appeared at the front door and when she was let in she made a beeline for Harry and almost strangled him with the hug she gave him.

She explained that it took nearly two hours before she realized what had taken place. She and George had been looking high and low for a box, or a card, or something that they thought Harry had hidden in the store for them to find. It was George who finally said something on the order of 'doesn't the place look a little different to you?' She said she couldn't stay long but she just had to come out and thank him and then she reached into her robe pocket and handed Harry a small white box and then with a final kiss and hug she was off. The contents of the box lasted all of ten minutes.

Harry and his immediate family were having a quiet breakfast the following morning. He was half way through his second helping when Kreacher announced that a Miss Luna Lovegood was asking to see Master Harry and Mistress Ginny. Before Harry could answer Ginny was up like a shot and making a mad rush to the front door. Abagail looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow and Harry just shook his head as the sound of enthusiastic greetings could be heard coming from the corridor. He couldn't imagine Luna engaging in the 'happy girl two step' but he was sure after such a long time it was a very energetic greeting.

It took a few minutes but Ginny and Luna entered the kitchen arm-in-arm and Harry stood up to offer his own greeting. Luna let go of Ginny's arm and hurried forward to wrap him in a tight embrace. She held him there for a few moments as Harry looked at Ginny over Luna's shoulder with a quizzical expression. When she finally let go Luna stepped back and looked at him with an expression different than what he remembered from their school days. There was still that look of dreaminess but it was tempered with more focus, currently directed at him, and layered over a tanned, slightly weathered face. It was obvious that her search had her outdoors for days at a time.

"It's brilliant having you here, Luna. We've been hoping we'd see you ever since your letter arrived," he said.

"I've been looking forward to this, too, Harry. I didn't realize how much I missed you all until I got home and started seeing all the familiar sights. It's wonderful to be here."

"Can we get you anything? Some tea or something to eat?" he asked.

"Tea, please and thank you," she replied.

An extra chair materialized, literally, and Luna sat down at the end of the table. Nibs floated a cup and saucer that landed in front of her and Harry poured out. After fixing the tea to her liking, Luna looked around the table and said,

"What a beautiful family you two have now."

"Thank you, Luna," Ginny replied. "I'm sure you remember Abagail from the wedding and these two fellows are James and Albus."

"I'm James."

"Yes, you are and a very handsome fellow you are as well," Luna said with a grin.

James smiled and looked at Abagail who was sitting next to him at the table and said,

"Down, pl's."

Abagail looked across at Ginny who just nodded. Standing up, Abagail lifted her little brother out of his high chair and set him down on the floor. He then hurried over to stand next to Luna's chair and said,

"Up, pl's."

With a small smile Luna lifted the boy up and sat him in her lap. James reached out to touch her long blond hair but stopped when he heard his father say,

"James."

"Wasn't gonna grab, da," the boy replied.

Luna looked up a bit surprised.

"James had a tendency to grab handfuls of his mother and sister's hair. He's mostly outgrown it but sometimes he backslides," Harry explained.

Luna laughed and gave James a hug and then took a bit of the end of her hair and used it to tickle the boy's face.

"So, Luna, I'm dying to hear about your travels," Ginny said. "Your letter said that you've had some success."

"Hmm, yes, I have. Hagrid gave me some good tips on what to look for and where when I was getting ready to start. I made a couple of finds that helped get some attention at the Ministry and they've given me some grants to supplement what my father was putting up. That allowed me to extend my search outside of the country," she replied.

"Have you been collecting any specimens?" Harry asked.

"Oh, no. I document my finds strictly by photographs. I won't even release the exact locations of where I find them. I don't want people trying to capture any of them. My father has published a few pictures in his magazine but we've been thinking of doing a special edition devoted entirely to my journeys and findings."

"Do you think you'd be interested in coming up to Hogwarts and doing a lecture for the students?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, Harry. I'm not much of a public speaker and you know how the other students used to treat me. Looney Luna, remember?" she said.

"I remember. But that was a while ago. None of those students are there anymore. The ones there now would be seeing you as an explorer and world traveler. I'd think they'd be fascinated with what you've done. I know I'd want to see it all," Harry said.

"I know you would, Harry," Luna replied, smiling almost sadly. "You always did see things differently. I know my first impressions that day in the Express weren't exactly the best but you managed to see past it," she said then paused, looking down at James. "You should know this, James, but your father was and I'm sure still is, a very kind, thoughtful person. He always treated me very nicely regardless of what other people may have thought. Your mum was like that, too. I'm very lucky that they are my friends. And you are a very lucky little fellow yourself," she finished, squeezing him tight.

Harry and Ginny could only look on and smile. Luna remained for the morning going into more detail about her journeys and her work. She found Ginny's work on the two books extremely interesting and was especially pleased when Ginny gave her a copy that she signed for her. Luna mused about the possibility of writing her own book some day but she had a lot more traveling and exploring to do first. Before she left she promised Harry that she would give some consideration to the idea of coming up to Hogwarts but she needed time to think about it and talk to her father.

The following day Harry received a visitor and the topic of their discussion was much more serious. Anthony Goldstein had come to talk to Harry about the results of his investigation into the goings on at Durmstrang and what had happened to the 'headmaster' or mistress as it turned out. After Kreacher had brought the young investigator to Harry's library the two former colleagues and school mates fell into a deep discussion.

"I have to tell you, Harry, that even though I've only been doing this a relatively short time, I'm fairly certain this will be one of the most unusual cases I'll ever investigate."

Anthony had to be reminded to call Harry by his first name when he first began to describe his work. He had started out with 'sir' and was told that wasn't necessary anymore.

"I had always thought that the Durmstrang crew that came to Hogwarts for the Tournament were a little odd, what with all their talk about the dark arts but that place was downright spooky. Fortunately you and the others left most of the place standing so we were able to go through it pretty thoroughly."

"How bad was it?" Harry asked.

"Well, we didn't find any evidence that they had sunk to the murderous levels that Voldemort had, but there was plenty to indicate that they were dabbling in all manner of dark magic just short of it. Just about anything you'd find on the banned substance list was there, books of spells and curses and some pretty nasty beasties running around the grounds. In fact, our old friend Luna Lovegood showed up one day saying she heard there were a couple of rather rare creatures on the grounds and could she look for them. Since she had Ministry support we let her look around but I had two Aurors go with her."

"She was here visiting yesterday but she didn't mention being there," Harry said.

Anthony just shrugged a bit and continued.

"So we stripped the place of anything that looked suspicious and turned it over to the local authorities. They were going to destroy the materials and lock up the books and such. I don't know why they didn't want to get rid of that stuff as well but people can be funny about books," he said with a bit of a smirk, looking pointedly at Harry's slowly filling book cases.

"Yes, they can, can't they," Harry replied straight faced.

"Anyway, we pretty much left the place an empty shell. Now, as to the mysterious Head of the school, that trail took some interesting turns. She didn't leave a whole lot of records behind but based on those that she did, interrogations of the survivors of the raid and a lot of digging we've put together a pretty decent picture. She was born Ludmilla Pavlova in a small village in Russia, not too long before the revolution. Apparently she had a pretty tough time of it. As she indicated to you she was a pretty unattractive child, surrounded by superstitious villagers, all the upheaval, poverty, and so forth. You know about her career at Durmstrang. We even found some old records that detailed her expulsion. That was one scary young witch. While not exactly clear, it appears that she used some nasty curses on some of the other students that were giving her a hard time. That and her attempts to learn more about the darker side of the dark arts got her the boot. She apparently kept a journal of sorts, if sporadically, and we found one of the volumes. She traveled around a lot, mostly in Eastern Europe, always trying to stay ahead of the authorities that were intent on stamping out any sort of mysticism, as they saw it. Not too hard to understand how she wound up the way she did."

Harry simply nodded at this observation.

"As to where she wound up after you stunned her and she fell through that portal, that was an interesting search. Hermione's book on Durmstrang gave us a few clues, but not many. The biggest clue came from bit of luck actually. One of the local authorities mentioned seeing an article in a muggle newspaper about a body washing ashore on the Romanian Black Sea coast. Something about an old woman in odd clothes. We were able to make a positive identification based on pictures in the paper's archives and some snooping in the office of the local morgue."

"How'd she wind up in the water?"

"That's what makes this part of the story so interesting. Hermione said you were familiar with the fact that the portal seems to trace back some five hundred years to a wizard that taught at Durmstrang but lived on the Black Sea coast," Anthony began.

"Right, she told me he used the portal to travel back and forth. I guess he didn't like Disapparating or have a Floo network to use," Harry mused.

"Possibly. Apparently this family was, and still is to some extent, a local legend in that area along the Romanian coast. We're pretty sure that that old wizard you tangled with some years ago was a descendant of his and that's where the portal came from. The knowledge on how to make them was sort of a family heirloom. Unfortunately for that old witch, the old family home on the coast fell into the sea during a bad storm a bunch of years ago and was washed away. When she went through that portal she wound up in some pretty deep water and drowned."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said sincerely, "but I suppose in one way it's good that we don't have to worry about her showing up again to cause trouble somewhere else."

"Well, that's about it, chief, I mean, Harry. I still have some report writing to do but I thought you'd like to know how things turned out."

"I appreciate that, Anthony. Sounds like you did a really good job of it," Harry said with a smile.

The young investigator smiled back and said,

"You know, Harry, I realize that it's been said a few times by different people, but I wanted you to know how much I appreciate the opportunity you created for me, for all of us. Mr. Milligan is really pleased with my progress. He feels I could go pretty far with my career."

"I'm sure you will, Anthony. I think you really found your calling."

The last event of note for the holiday break came two days before it was time to head back to school. Harry had taken a quick trip to Diagon Alley to drop in at Gringotts for a check of his account and then to drop by Flourish and Blotts to see if anything new in the way of books had come in. When he entered he was greeted enthusiastically.

"Ah, Professor. What a fortuitous coincidence. I have some conclusive information on that special volume we discussed a while back."

Harry had to think a moment and then he recalled the 'Book of Deadly Magic'.

"Oh, yes. What did you find out?"

"We are confident that the book is the genuine article. All information confirms that Riddle himself played a major role in its creation. We also had it checked and there is no indication of any curses or traps. It is reasonable to conclude that the volume was unfinished when he met his demise."

"Alright then, get it for me. I want that thing under lock and key and I know just where to put it. I may even decide to destroy it altogether," Harry said firmly.

"Professor. Destroy a book? Especially one so singularly unique?"

"I understand you feelings, sir, but it may be the wiser course."

The senior clerk looked aghast but wasn't about to argue with Harry about it. He merely nodded his acquiescence and wished Harry a good afternoon. Harry returned home and began a little research on locking charms and alarm spells. This book was going to get an extra dose of security until he could decide what to do with it.

When he found himself at school two days later he was in a decidedly good mood. It had been a happy holiday season but he was glad to be back with his students. Winter was getting a late start this year and the grounds were free of snow and there was no ice on the lake. This was not to say it was a tropical thaw but the mercury stayed above freezing. As Harry sat at the Gryffindor table during a free period he wondered how Stan Shunpike was dealing with the absence of snow. He hoped the caretaker had found a suitable alternative for his talents.

He got that feeling that someone was looking at him so when he turned his head he saw the witch and two wizards that were working on the high speed broom project bearing down on him. They were looking enthusiastic but the witch also looked a bit bruised. Harry began to worry a bit.

"Professor Potter, do you have a moment? We'd like to bring you up to date on our project. We'd did some work over the break and thought you'd be interested in the outcome," the witch said.

"Yes, I would be. Please, sit down and tell me all about it," Harry replied.

Once they were seated the story unfolded. It seemed that based on their research, aided by the witch's engineer father, they had found an interesting physical phenomenon driven by the spell that allowed the broom to fly.

"With a little assistance from my dad, we found that the spell helps with how well the broom slips through the air. It acts to form a small cone in front of the tip of the handle to help smooth the flow of air. Have you ever noticed, sir, that your hands don't feel much of the wind if their gripped on the handle?"

"Come to think of it, yes I have."

"We began to investigate the various flying spells, trying to see if we could figure out how to expand that cone to shield more of the flyer and decrease the drag. We've also done some experiments," she said.

"Experiments?" Harry asked, thinking he knew were the bruises had come from.

"Yes, sir. We made up a cone of our own to affix to the tip of a broom to see how well it would work."

"And?"

"It did help to a certain extent but the added weight did have an effect on the balance. Made it a bit tougher to maneuver but the straight line speed was higher."

"And?" Harry asked again, looking pointedly at the young witch's face.

"Oh, well, I guess we didn't do a good enough job of attaching the cone to the broom tip. It came loose on a test run and came up and hit me in the face. Fortunately we were doing the testing up here over the lake. I got these bruises from the cone but otherwise I just got wet," she replied with a bit of a grin.

Harry could only shake his head a bit and said,

"Well, I suppose that was a wise choice but I am concerned for your safety. In the future please have a care about how far you push this."

"Oh, we've been taking quite few safety measures, sir. I wore a floatation vest and a parachute. Fennermen and Hipplewhite were airborne as well and fished me out in just a minute."

"Excuse me, did you say a parachute?"

"Yes, sir. But not for floating down. I wasn't flying too high above the water. I used a small chute to slow me down if I fell off the broom. Like some racing cars and airplanes do. Works a treat, sir."

"I see. Well, I'm glad to hear that you're making progress and still in one piece. Carry on and please take care of yourselves."

"Yes, sir," the three chorused.

As he watched the three students make their way out of the Hall he had to marvel at their ingenuity and determination but he wondered if he should have kept things at a more academic level.

Winter finally decided to make an appearance on the second Saturday after the start of the new term. It was an off Saturday for Cup competition but there was a full schedule of club matches and Ron had convinced Harry to go with him to watch. He and Ron had been given seats in one of the VIP towers and they both huddled in their heaviest winter cloaks. The weather reminded Harry of the match where he discovered his radar-like abilities. The wind was somewhere in the Force 8 or 9 area and the flyers were finding it nearly impossible to make any headway.

"This is insane, Harry," Ron yelled in his ear. "How do they expect anyone to do anything in this?"

"Chalk it up to tradition, mate. You never cancel due to weather," Harry bellowed back.

The wind was blowing predominately from the one end of the pitch, at an angle, but still enough to bias the ability of one team to approach the others goal, so at half way through the three hour time limit, Bill Weasley, who was the referee for the match, called a halt and switched ends. The result was a win with only ten points separating victor and loser. The injury count was more significant. Madame Pomfrey had to deal with two incidents of broken bones, three concussions due to mid-air collisions, two frostbitten noses and three cases of exposure.

Harry and Ron decided that one match was enough and they beat a hasty retreat homeward and the warmth and comfort of Harry's library and the wizards chess set. The weather further south was marginally tamer with lower winds but just as much snow. Since Ron was enjoying the renowned Potter hospitality, Ginny decided it was only fair to have Hermione come over and since more is always better the house was soon ringing with the sound of children playing, adults talking and chess pieces having at each other. Nibs was ecstatic as what should have been a quiet Saturday dinner turned into more of a party with snacks, appetizers and a full on buffet dinner. The Floo network fireplace in the rear courtyard hummed with activity and they even managed to coax Professors Slughorn and Babbling, who were working in the basement study area to come up and join them for dinner. It is often said that it is an ill wind that blows no one any good. That morning's gales had proven to be fairly favorable, unless you happened to have been on a broom.

The next few weeks saw several repeats of the high winds and heavy snows. And within days fantastic snow sculptures made their return to the open spaces in front of the castle. Harry smiled when he saw the first one as he approached the school and later that day he saw Stan and gave him a nod and wink. The heavy snows were followed by a brief February thaw and on a sunny Saturday afternoon Harry's quiet reading was interrupted by a somewhat agitated Abagail. As she swept into the library Harry looked up and said,

"Hello there, little one. How did your day with Angus go?"

"We were having a really good time, Harry. We were walking around London and we stopped at the Royal Museum and a few art galleries. I'm not sure how much Angus liked all the art stuff but he was very patient about it. Then I saw this as we passed a newsagent," she said as she held out a rolled up newspaper.

Harry took it from her and saw that it was a copy of one of the infamous tabloids. He had to smile a bit at the memory of how these papers infuriated his uncle and tantalized his aunt. He recalled how she was always bringing them into the house and going to great lengths to hide them and how Uncle Vernon would fly off the handle whenever he came across one. The headlines on this one would have really sent him over the edge. It read,

WITCHES AND WARLOCKS AMONG US

Harry read the teaser and then turned to the page indicated for the rest of the story. Abagail stood near his chair, looking over his shoulder, her arms crossed and a look of extreme indignation on her face. What Harry was reading was based mostly on the assertions of a 'firebrand' cleric, as the author described him, who was well known for his railing against the 'insidious infiltration of mysticism and Satanism' into popular culture. The article recounted the numerous claims made by the Reverend Stanley Armbruster from his pulpit about the evils of Halloween, the extent to which magic and related topics had permeated popular literature and the threat it posed to the world, especially to young people, and the most recent trend of romanticizing vampires and werewolves in books, films, and television.

The article continued, quoting the cleric's claims that it now appeared that it all wasn't just fiction but that he had proof that actual practitioners of magic were living among the general population and that they posed a serious threat and were capable of all manner of treachery and mayhem. He called upon all sensible and rational people to keep a close eye on friends, neighbors and acquaintances and report any strange behavior to the authorities.

Harry folded the paper and set it down in his lap and then looked up at Abagail. She said,

"Can you believe that, Harry?"

"Yes, I can, little one. It's certainly nothing new, as the article said. This fellow has been making these claims for years now. Others have as well. In one way he is correct. There has been a lot written about magic and so on for centuries and it has carried over into movies and the tellie. Now I don't agree with what he said about how dangerous it is, but it is there. I'm more concerned about the bit at the end. I wonder if he does indeed have some evidence. Voldemort had more than a few muggle victims during his time and the Ministry does spend a lot of effort cleaning up after accidents and stuff. I'd be interested to know what this person actually has, if anything."

"Maybe, but he hasn't got any business saying such bad things about us, treachery and mayhem, I mean really," she snorted.

"Calm down, Abagail. I can't imagine him getting much attention with this, considering where it was printed. What I don't like is his call for people to spy on their neighbors and such. That can lead to a lot of trouble for people. All that witch burning stuff all those years ago was based on that sort of thing. A lot of people died and I bet not a single one was an actual witch or wizard. I don't think it would ever get that far but it could cause a great deal of trouble for otherwise innocent people."

"I think this rotter could use a good obliviating," Abagail said with some heat.

"And we'll have none of that, young lady. At least not until we have some solid evidence that he poses a true threat to us. I suppose I should ask around and see what the Ministry thinks about this. I do appreciate your letting me know about it, but try not to let it bother you so much. Alright?"

Abagail stood there for a few moments longer and then said,

"Alright, Harry, if you say so."

At this point Ginny walked into the library with James in tow. James ran over to his sister who swept him up and cuddled him.

"I thought I heard you come in, sweetheart. What have you got there, Harry?" she asked seeing the paper.

"Abagail brought it home. Makes for interesting reading," he said with a smirk as he held it up for her to see.

Ginny took the paper and her eyebrows rose as she read the headline and brief intro on the front page. She began to scowl as she read the article proper. By the time she was done the paper had been crumpled where she was gripping it.

"What a load of tripe," she ground out. "Who does this bloody fool think he is?"

"I'm sure he thinks he's right and he needs to protect everyone from the evils of magic," Harry said with more than a touch of sarcasm. "Don't get so upset, dear. He's not the first and won't be the last. I worry more about the old man or woman that all the neighbors think is a little strange than about anyone we know running afoul of this character."

"Maybe, but I hope someone is going to be keeping an eye on this one," she replied.

"Oh, I'm sure the Ministry has been watching him right along," he offered.

Harry was a bit more upset about what he had read than he had actually let on. This was the sort of thing that Professor Dumbledore had spoken to him about when they had had that discussion about Harry's future. He would indeed take a trip to the Ministry and see what sort of response they were considering, if any.


	42. Chapter 42

Professor Potter, Chapter 42

Spring was making a strong, early showing at Hogwarts. The winter snows deposited in just a few short, ferocious weeks had long since melted away and the strong sun and warm breezes felt good as Harry sat in a cloth folding chair that had been provided for him. He was sitting near the edge of the lake listening to Una O'Connor describe their current test. They had less than two months to complete their project. From what Harry had heard already he felt they had a very good handle on the magic that resulted in one of his favorite aspects of being a wizard, broomstick flying, but they had also demonstrated some of the issues with the practical reality of building a high speed prototype.

Miss O'Connor had already crashed twice. Once during the Christmas break which got her a dunking in the cold lake and another time that had her buried in a snow drift until her compatriots could dig her out. But being the smallest and lightest member of the team she had assumed the role of test pilot and adamantly refused all offers of substitution.

"So, Professor, we are quite confident that this should be the breakthrough we've been looking for. The small cone we first described to you has now been expanded to create a shell that completely covers a flyer when she or he is stretched out over the handle. My robe barely moves at high speed," she said with great excitement.

"And you're sure you've got the bugs worked out of the broom itself? You've already had two crashes," Harry said.

"Oh, yes, sir. I'm quite confident."

"Very well, let's see what you've got," Harry said, trying to keep the resignation out of his voice.

"Yes, sir," the young witch said.

She hurried over to her two teammates who were holding the test broom. It looked like any other Nimbus 2000 that Harry had ever seen. She gave it a thorough visual examination and then with a nod she mounted and took to the air, quickly followed by the two wizards who were going to be flying 'safety patrol'. Harry settled back in his chair but had his wand out and ready in case he might need it.

He watched as the witch put the broom through some maneuvers and from where Harry sat it appeared to be moving normally. Then she pointed it toward the farther end of the lake and took off at a fair clip until she was almost lost to view. Harry could see the small figure make a sweeping turn and then make the first high speed run down the length of the lake. The visual sense of acceleration was alarming and as she rocketed past at about fifty feet above the water Harry had little chance to check to see if indeed her robes weren't flapping in the slipstream, but from what he could see it looked like she was right.

Her turn at the end of the lake was wide and sweeping, and to Harry looked a little ragged. He thought she should have bled of some speed before making the turn. She got straightened out and settled in for another high speed run heading in the opposite direction. Only this time something didn't look right to Harry. It appeared to him that the broom was unsteady, and worse, it looked as if twigs were starting to fly off the back of the broom.

Harry stood up and began moving toward the water but it was too late. In a sudden spray the entire bundle of twigs scattered behind the broom and began falling towards the water. The now completely unstable broom bucked once or twice and began to tumble. He also saw the drogue chute flare out behind the young flyer and her forward speed slowed dramatically as she plunged into the lake below. As the two wizards began to rush towards her, Harry pointed his ironwood wand and shouted 'Wingardium Leviosa' and the young witch began to rise up out of the water. Holding the wand steady he floated her toward the damp ground at the water's edge and let her drift down. He noticed she was still holding on to the now bare shaft of the broom.

Once he had her on the ground he put the wand away and began walking to where she stood, soaking wet and dismayed. Harry gave her a crooked half smile and said,

"Well, you were certainly going fast enough, Miss O'Connor, but there seems to be some issue with the integrity of your broom. Is this the same one you've been using all along?"

"Yes, sir, it's my own broom," she replied.

"And it's already been through two previous crashes?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, but we went over it very carefully after each one and just before today's test," she said miserably.

"From what I saw it looked like the binding for the twigs came undone. I'd imagine it would be difficult to spot any weakening of the cording."

"I suppose you're right, sir."

By this time the two young wizards had arrived and were standing next to their bedraggled teammate. Harry took in their dejected demeanor and said,

"Alright, here's what I want you to do. You'll spend the next several days getting all your information on the magical aspect of this project together and come see me with it. In the meantime I'll contact someone I know who makes his living building high end broomsticks. Maybe he can help you figure out a way to keep everything together and give you some tips on how to conduct your testing. I probably should have thought of this earlier but here we are. Agreed?"

"Yes, sir," they chorused.

"Good, now, go get yourself dried off, Miss O'Connor," he finished with a sympathetic smile.

Harry watched as the trio trudged off towards the castle, the young witch still holding on to her denuded broomstick. He could only shake his head a bit. He was as good as his word for that afternoon he sent off an owl to Eddy Hillchurch to ask if he could provide some guidance for the young tinkerers.

A few days later Harry was sitting in the Great Hall during a free period when he heard a familiar voice calling to him.

"Oi, Professor."

"Eddy? What are you doing up here?" Harry asked by way of reply.

"After I got your message I thought I'd better get up 'ere and talk to those dare devils of yours. I just spent a while with 'em going over what they've been up to."

"Well, I appreciate your taking the time. I hope this isn't creating issues with your work?"

"Nah, not at all, Professor. They was glad to let me do it."

"Um, Eddy, I thought you were going call me 'Harry', remember?"

"Just in keeping with the surroundins, Professor," Eddy said with a smile as he gestured to indicate the Hall and Hogwarts in general.

"So, what did you find out?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Well, they did some impressive work on the magical side, didn't they? Problem is, it isn't just about the magic, innit. It really isn't all that 'ard to make a broom go fast in a straight line. Why, we've got a prototype or two that can do two, three times what a Firebolt'll do, but it takes the best part of two counties to make a turn. Wot good is that for the average witch or wizard, specially where Quidditch is concerned?"

Harry merely nodded.

"They was right clever with that shielding business, something we've looked at from time to time at Nimbus. Only they missed the big problem."

"What was that?" Harry asked.

"Ever look at a muggle aeroplane thingie?"

Harry nodded.

"Ever take notice of the back end?"

Harry thought about it for a moment and then said,

"They tend to get more narrow towards the back?"

"Right in one go, guv. That cone thing the kids came up with just sorta ends. Makes for some terrible airflow on the backside. The bundle of twigs on the back end of the broom is set up to handle air coming all in one direction, from the front. When it starts swirling around like they had it," he said while gesturing with his hand, "it puts too much strain on 'em. If that binding cord hadn't a let loose they way it did, those twigs woulda been snapping left 'n right."

"Well, I'm disappointed for them, I know they had their hearts set on coming up with the Firebolt III, but at least they're learning something," Harry said.

Eddy started to laugh.

"If they had come up with one, it would have been bloody embarrassin' for us. We've been workin' on that for the last ten years and still have a ways to go. Your Firebolt II is still the fastest useable broom out there. Well, I guess I oughta get back to the shop. They wanna hear what I found out. I invited your three to take a tour when they get done with school. They should find it interestin'."

"That's brilliant, Eddy. Thanks."

"Think nothin' of it, guv. Was my pleasure."

With a parting handshake Eddy left the Hall and Harry sat thinking. Ten years of effort on the next big thing in brooms and they still weren't done. He shook his head a bit and then went back to his paperwork.

The following evening was one Harry had been looking forward to for weeks. It took almost a month but Luna had finally committed to coming to Hogwarts to give a talk about her search for supposedly extinct magical creatures. Once that commitment was made she spent considerable time with Harry and with Neville Longbottom putting a presentation together. It was Harry's idea to bring in Neville to help. He felt just as he had with Ginny being the better broom flying teacher that Neville's experience in overcoming his own trepidations about getting up in front of a group and speaking made him better suited to helping Luna with that aspect of the lecture.

The lecture itself would be held in the Room of Requirements and Hagrid had made attendance mandatory for his fifth through seventh years and optional for anyone else. Harry would be there, or course, and Ginny had arranged, without much difficulty at all, to have her mum and dad babysit so she could be there as well. As the big day approached Luna had confided in Harry that she was now merely apprehensive about the whole idea as opposed to purely terrified as she had been when he first proposed it.

So it was on the appointed evening that Harry and Ginny sat side-by-side off to one side in the Room of Requirements, with Neville sitting behind them. A fair portion of the student population was also in attendance. Luna was standing behind a podium that was positioned to one side of a large easel that had a number of large rectangular shapes under a white cloth. Mr. Lovegood was there as well, ready to assist his daughter with the large prints. Luna was looking just a bit nervous and considering her usually dreamy, detached state, and Harry interpreted that to mean she was pretty anxious. She gave a little cough and then began.

"Ahem, well, I guess we'll begin. My name is Luna Lovegood and I was asked if I would come here this evening and share with you the results to date of my search for those magical creatures that most of our community would consider extinct. When I was a student here at Hogwarts, I had many conversations with Professor Hagrid about the possibilities that some of these creatures might still be out there to be rediscovered. Down through the years there had been many reported sightings and this led me to believe that there was something out there to be found."

She paused to look around the room and gave Harry and Ginny a bit of a smile. They both nodded in response.

"I decided to begin close to home and with a few creatures that had shown up more often in reports and these first few photographs are the result."

With that her father pulled the cover off of the easel to reveal the large magical prints beneath. For the next hour and a half Luna traced her journey of exploration and discovery, chronicled with the photographs of various creatures. She explained how she had researched the sightings reports, the lore and mythology that had grown up around each creature and how she had tracked them and finally captured the photographic evidence. Some of the creatures were quite cute and cuddly looking, which solicited some oooing and ahhhing from the students, while a couple were downright frightening to see causing a few of the younger students to shriek. When she got to the end of the photographs and her story she was rewarded with some hearty applause. Then the questions began.

"Did you ever think to capture any of the creatures?"

"No," she responded. "I have no intention of removing them from their natural habitat or to reveal their precise location."

"Were you ever in any danger?"

"Not from the creatures," she replied. "I maintained a safe distance, as much for their sake as mine, and used cameras that could take good pictures from a distance. I had more to worry about from some of the terrain and the people who lived in some of the places I visited. Some odd ideas have grown up around some of these creatures and the locals could be very aggressive in their attitudes."

"Where will you be going next?"

"My next trip will be to central Asia and down into India," she said.

And on they went for another hour. Finally when it seemed that no one had anything more to ask one young witch raised a tentative hand and Luna said,

"Yes?"

"Um, Miss Lovegood, could I ask you why you've taken such an interest in these creatures?"

Luna looked at the girl for a few moments with her head tilted slightly to one side. Then she looked back at her father who had taken a chair and was sitting next to the easel. He smiled and nodded encouragingly. She returned her attention to the young girl and said,

"I think it's because I've always gotten along better with animals than I have with people. With very few exceptions," she said glancing quickly over to where Harry and Ginny were sitting, "I haven't had much success relating to other witches and wizards. Animals seemed more willing to accept me for who I was, and am. And for some reason the more unusual the animal the more interesting I found them. My absolute favorite is the Crumple-Horned Snorkack but it will be some time before I'll be able to resume my search for that one."

And that brought the evening to a close. Most of the students left the room with a few, mostly older students, coming forward to chat a bit with Luna and look more closely at the photographs. Harry and Ginny remained where they were until the last student left. Hagrid offered his congratulations and suggested Luna come see him before she left on her next journey as he had some information to share with her. Then she looked at Harry and Ginny who had approached with Neville just behind them.

"Well, that wasn't so terribly difficult after all. I think my knees only wanted to give out just once. Thank you for all your help in getting this ready. Daddy had been suggesting that I'd probably need to do this sort of thing if I was to try and get more backing for future expeditions. Having done it the one time, I guess it shouldn't be so hard the next."

"You're right," Neville said. "I doubt I'll ever handle it so effortlessly as Harry does, but after the first few times it becomes very manageable and starts to be fun."

Luna stepped forward and gave each of the three hugs, Harry getting an extra squeeze and something whispered in his ear. Then they assisted Luna and her father in gathering up the large prints and getting everything down to the main gate where they said their final farewells, at least for that evening. The next off was Neville who headed home to Hannah and then Harry and Ginny went to their little house to take the Floo Network home.

The next significant activity for Harry was a trip to visit with Milligan and anyone else who might have some information on the Reverend Armbruster. He took the trip right from Hogwarts after class on the Monday after Luna's lecture. When he arrived in the lobby of the Ministry he exchanged more than a few greetings but made steady progress towards his old office after exchanging nods with the wizard behind the visitors desk. As he passed by the little closet that served as the Chief's Executive Assistant's office he looked in and saw Tom Medford diligently reading a report.

"Hello, Tom. Do you know if the Chief is in?" he asked mildly.

Tom looked up and seeing Harry rose quickly from his chair.

"Professor, sir. Um, no, sir. He's in a meeting with the Director. I don't expect him back for a while yet," Tom said, almost apologetically.

"I see. How about the Deputy?"

"I believe he's in his office. It's Chief Maxwell's old office."

"Thanks. How have you been getting on here?" Harry asked.

"Very well, sir. It's very interesting work and Chief Maxwell has been gradually expanding my duties so there's always something to do."

"I'm glad to hear that," Harry replied.

"Um, sir. If it's not out of keeping, might I ask how Miss Westwood is getting along?"

"Yes, you can. She's doing quite well for herself. She had a bit of a tough time of it for a while but her artwork has been getting her a lot of attention and work. I'd have to say all in all she's happy."

"I'm pleased to hear that, sir. Please pass along my regards if you wouldn't mind," Tom asked.

"I'll do that. It was good to see you again, Tom."

"Thank you, sir."

Harry proceeded down the corridor in search of Milligan. When he arrived at the office door, he knocked.

"Who is it?" came the muffled response.

"Harry Potter."

Harry could hear a crash as if a chair had been rammed back into a bookcase, which is most likely what had happened. The door swung open and there was the lanky investigator looking extremely puzzled.

"What brings you back here, Chief, I mean, Professor?"

"I needed to check on something. Can we talk?"

"Of course, come on in."

Harry followed Milligan back into the little office. Remembering the peculiarities of the layout he sat down in the one guest chair and then swung the door closed. Milligan took his seat and looked across at his former boss.

"So what's on your mind, sir?"

"Have you seen this?" Harry asked as he pulled the folded tabloid from inside his robe and handed it across the desk.

Milligan looked at the cover photo and said,

"Oh, yes. The good Reverend has been a subject of great interest on and off over the years. It picked up a lot after this came out."

"So, do we…I mean you, know if he has the evidence he refers to?" Harry asked.

"We haven't been able to confirm anything, one way or another. We did check into the records, you know, whether he had anything that the Misuse or Accident offices had a hand in but nothing. We know that there were some attempts by the press to get him to reveal what he had but he just pushed it off with a 'it will be made available at the appropriate time'," Milligan finished with a shrug.

"It's not so much that I worry about us. I'm more concerned that he's going to cause trouble for those muggles that inhabit the fringes, if you know what I mean. The ones who look or act strange. They'll be easy targets for what he's trying to stir up."

"Yes, sir. I'm afraid you're right. We've seen that sort of thing before and he's already on his way to stirring it up again."

Harry spent another fifteen minutes or so discussing the issue with his former Chief Investigator when a tapping at the door indicated a message was trying to deliver itself. Harry reached around and opened the door a bit and the piece of parchment fluttered in and landed on the desk. Milligan picked it up and then handed it to Harry.

"It's addressed to you."

"Me? Who knows I'm here?"

"I'd imagine a few people saw you in the Atrium, right? It's from the big boss. I'm sure someone made sure he knew you were in the building," Milligan said with a grin.

Harry unfolded the message and read it. It was indeed from the Minister and he was requesting that Harry stop by his office before he left, if he could spare the time. He folded it up and put it in his pocket.

"Well, I guess I should go see him if he went to the trouble of personally inviting me. Do me a favor. If you hear anything more about this character would you let me know? And I'll do the same. There's something about this that makes me a little uneasy."

"I'll be sure to, sir. I trust your hunches more than most people's facts."

With a handshake Harry departed the tiny office and made his way to the office of the Minister of Magic. When he arrived the same elderly witch he remembered from his time at the Ministry was sitting at the desk and when she saw Harry approaching she said,

"Go ahead and knock, Mr. Potter. The Minister said you shouldn't be kept waiting."

"Thank you, very much."

Harry went to the door and knocked and said,

"It's Harry Potter, sir."

"Harry, do come in," came the Minister's reply.

Harry opened the door and stepped in to find the office the same as he remembered. Kingsley Shacklebolt stood up from behind his desk and came forward to meet him. He still looked mostly the same, tall and imposing in his robes of office. His hair had more gray to it but his smile was broad and genuine and his eyes gave no hint of anything unpleasant.

"Harry, it's so good to see you. It's been a while. What, may I ask, brings you to the Ministry?"

"I came to talk to Maxwell and or Milligan. I was concerned about this Reverend Armbruster business," Harry replied.

"Ah, yes, that one. He's giving us all a bit of a headache lately. You don't have any specific plans concerning him, do you, young fellow?" the Minister said, with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

"No, nothing specific. I was just concerned about the general level of trouble he could stir up."

"I'm afraid I would have to agree with you there, Harry. In a way I'm glad you're taking an interest. There was a great deal of concern around here that you were going to more or less isolate yourself at Hogwarts and stop worrying about the rest of us."

This was said with a smile but there was something in the tone that hinted at something a bit more serious.

"No sir, it's just we had our hands full helping out with that whole Durmstrang mess. Then there was getting the new school up and running plus some research work, but I'm still very much interested in what's going on close to home."

"I'm very pleased to hear that Harry because there are a few issues that I'd like to discuss with you and get your opinion about."

"Certainly, sir."

The discussion took the better part of the evening to complete to include a visit to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. When they were finished Harry decided to head home instead of returning to the school since he was that close. Ginny was both pleased and surprised to have Harry home and he was very pleased with the surprise she had for him later that night.

Once back at school he found his project students nearly whipped into a frenzy trying to get things ready for the last review before the projects were due to be presented. The students working on the wand project had some interesting things to report.

"Well, sir, we've be discovering some very interesting aspects of wands and their uses. Well, discoveries from our perspective. It is fairly well known that just about any witch or wizard can get some results out of any sort of wand. The real trick is getting the right one in order to maximize the results."

Harry could only nod, remembering how Ron had had to struggle with a hand-me-down wand held together with Spell-O-tape until Harry made getting Ron a new one a contingency for the twins to make use of the Triwizards Prize to jump start their business.

"We have a good handle on the basics of the magic involved, but what we've really be trying to dig into has been the influence that certain woods and magical elements have in, I'd guess you'd say, tuning the wand to the user. What makes some people more compatible with a Hippogriff feather as opposed to dragon heartstring, for example. Mr. Ollivander has been very helpful in this regard, sir. In fact, he wanted us to relay his appreciation. He said these projects have generated more interest in how wands work than he can ever remember. He's even made it known that he's looking for some apprentices for his business."

"I take it then that you'll have something interesting for us come time for the final presentations?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I think so, sir. We're quite sure."

"I'm looking forward to it."

His next conversation was with the young witches that had been interested in the idea of muggle/magical relations. It wasn't nearly as upbeat as the last.

"Frankly, sir, it's all been a bit depressing, really" one said. "Coming from a non magical family, I didn't have the background that most of the students here have. Professor Binn's history class touches on some of it but the deeper you dig the worse it becomes. It really makes all of the magic used for disguising and hiding what we do and where we are make a lot more sense. I had the chance to talk with Mrs. Weasley about what she, and you, were doing with the other magical races but with the muggles?" she said with a shrug.

"It is a very difficult situation to say the least. The Ministry does put a lot of effort into making sure we don't come to the muggles notice and cleaning things up when we do. Where do you think the problem lies?" Harry asked.

"Ignorance and fear, I'd say, sir," offered the other. "Most muggles don't believe we exist and so we have to make sure they never find out because we fear they'd react in a way that would endanger our way of life. Those that do believe we could exist either have a completely wrong view of us or think we're in league with the devil or something. I don't know how we'd ever overcome that."

Harry and the two girls talked for a while longer, going over the results of his investigation into the magical aspect of the project and then Harry sent them on their way. Harry sat in the empty classroom for a time thinking about what he heard about the Reverend from Milligan and the Minister combined with what his students had related to him and tried to fit it in to what Professor Dumbledore had revealed to him by way of his fears for the future.

Harry began to wonder if Voldemort hadn't been such a big issue after all.


	43. Chapter 43

Professor Potter, Chapter 43

Harry stared up at the white blob that was the ceiling of his private room at St. Mungo's. Without the aid of his glasses he could not make out any of the detail that might have distracted him while he awaited the return of the Healer, Doctor Elsewhere. In fact, the small wizard was simply the leader of a team of Healers that had been working together to try and determine the source of the skull splitting headaches that Harry was suffering from for the past three months. After much prodding from Ginny, Abagail and nearly all the members of his extended family, he agreed to check himself into the magical hospital for tests. With nothing else to do he let his mind range back over the past year or so.

The last twelve months began with the closing of Harry's fourth year as a full time teacher. The first go-round of the sixth year project class had ended well. The broom tinkerers had finished with somewhat of a mixed bag. They demonstrated that they had obtained a thorough understanding of the magic that allows a broom to fly and respond to its rider but had not been successful in developing the equivalent of a Firebolt III. Harry was not inclined however to decrement their grade as a result once he found out that the Nimbus company, with all its resources and expertise, had been working to do just that for the last ten years and still had a ways to go, according to Eddy Hillchurch.

The students working on the wand project had developed a very interesting first level corollary between the materials used in a wand and the personality and talent of the 'optimal' user. They also indicated that a pair of then fifth years wanted to do a follow up as their sixth year project with the intent of developing a predictive tool that would enable someone to know ahead of time what kind of wand would be best for them. And they did just that. Only a month ago they demonstrated how their tool helped to quickly narrow the possible range of materials that would work best for a particular witch or wizard. Mr. Ollivander was quoted as saying it would never replace the knowledge and experience of a master wand maker but it would be helpful in saving time by narrowing the initial possibilities.

The muggle/magical relations project had a similar conclusion to the broom project. The young wizard had demonstrated that he had acquired a thorough understanding of how the magic used to hide the wizarding world from the mundane worked but his assessment of the hopes for a more open coexistence was pessimistic to say the least. The fact that the Reverend Armbruster was ramping up his witch hunt at this time did little to help.

The summer that followed had begun well with the now annual trip to the south of France and the seaside house of Fleur's aunt and uncle. Angus had been added to the mix as the relationship between he and Abagail had grown much more solid and his boss had suggested he needed to take a break since he had been working nearly non-stop on the coded files left behind in the Mysteries Department, on top of the work he was doing for the study group. Angus and Abagail had taken a trip by themselves to Beauxbaton and while there Madame Maxime commissioned Abagail to produce several paintings based on her 'visions' of past configurations of the palace and its surroundings. The young artist's reputation was spreading within the magical community and she had a fairly steady workload with book illustrations, working with the Salisbury Plains Construction company folks and a small enterprise she had begun making and selling the small hand painted pins that she had given out the one Christmas.

These events combined with the continued good health and overall fortunes of the extended Weasley family had Harry in a reasonably good mood at the beginning of last summer. However, there were some issues. The irascible Reverend provided a certain level of background annoyance with the occasional report of another bombastic sermon or on the last summer solstice, his attempt to interfere with a group of Druids that had gathered near Stonehenge for their annual rite. Harry had a few conversations with Milligan about what they were observing but they still had no inkling about the 'supposed' evidence that was said to exist.

Harry had also been spending more time in discussions with the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Having stated that he still had a strong interest in what was going on in the magical community Harry found himself being asked for his views on a variety of matters and while he was never asked to perform duties outside his teaching it was simply more things for him to be thinking about.

One thing that he didn't have to concern himself with was Quidditch. The camp had settled into a very effective yearly routine and the involvement of the QUABBLE folks had really helped in the administrative areas, allowing Bill and Charlie and the other volunteers to concentrate on the level of instruction, which seemed to improve at each session. The public park continued to be a huge success and the first youth camp that had been conducted was very popular. There was no more discussion of financial misdealings in the Prophet, which was barely hanging on due to plummeting circulation after the scandal over the scandal.

As Harry's musings moved along the calendar his thoughts turned darker. Shortly after the beginning of the just completed school year, Professor McGonagall had fallen seriously ill, resulting in a shakeup of Harry's teaching duties. He made an instant transition to full time Transfiguration professor for all years. He kept the six year project program but had to relinquish his role as first year DADA instructor. He did provide occasional presentations to various class levels during the year but he truly missed working with the youngsters. Harry had to admit however that Bill did a fantastic job of integrating his Applied Magic materials which was important because that class too had come to an end.

It wasn't until nearly Christmas that the Headmistress had started to regain her strength but it was obvious to all that her days as an active teacher at Hogwarts had come to an end. The end of an era, in fact. Professor Sprout had picked up many of the duties of the Head while Professor McGonagall was recovering.

Harry had also made trips to the Black Sea school and to Beauxbaton as well as engaging in a steady stream of correspondence with various teachers. During the first Tri-Schools conference, held at Beauxbaton the previous summer, Harry had indicated a willingness to discuss various matters with any of the other teachers and soon the messages began to arrive.

He was still thinking along these lines when the door to his room swung open and Dr. Elsewhere walked in, holding a clip board. He pulled a chair up alongside Harry's bed and sat down.

"Well, Professor, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we have been unable to find any physical cause for your headaches. That means no tumors, no swelling, no signs of abnormalities of any kind. The bad news is we haven't found any physical cause for your headaches. That means there's no instant, easy answer as to why you're having this problem, other than the possibility that you need new glasses, but that would only be a contributing factor. So, we've had to look to other factors. According to the report written by Dr. Parsons after your talk with her it appears that you have been a very busy man this past year or so. And a lot of that has been dealing with some fairly serious issues. The turmoil created by the Headmistress falling ill, working with the other schools on the continent, consulting with the Minister of Magic, and it goes on and on."

The wizard set down his clipboard and looked squarely at Harry.

"When was the last time you played any Quidditch, Professor?"

"Um, it's been over a year. The family team played a few matches but I missed them due to other obligations."

"Obligations?"

"Conferences, meetings, that sort of thing," Harry replied.

"What else do you do for relaxation?" the Healer asked.

"I read, play with my children, visit with family. We did take a holiday last summer."

"Hmm, yes, personally I never found holiday trips to be all that restful, what with the planning and the running around and the doing things and then coming home and catching up. Well, Professor, let me just double check on something. You got the first headache about three months ago, yes?"

"Yes, sir. As I recall it started to bother me about midday while at school and by that night I was flat on my back in the hospital ward."

"And the frequency?"

"The next one wasn't for another two weeks but they began coming at shorter and shorter intervals. Now they are about three days apart."

"And the pain potion?"

"It dulls it but doesn't make it go away completely," Harry said.

"Hmm," was all the Healer said with a nod. "What kind of reading do you do, Professor? To relax that is."

"Mostly books on magic. I've been collecting them for some years."

"I see. So, material that is more or less work related," the Healer said, a statement as opposed to a question.

"I suppose you could say that. I did read a series of books, satire fiction, but I finished those. Um, and they did involve magic to a great degree."

"I see."

The little wizard leaned back in his chair and regarded Harry closely.

"I've been your Healer now for some time, young fellow. Your collapse after your last encounter with Voldemort, then the aftermath of your run in with that dragon, the firestorm episode and now this. This is all taking its toll on you. Now you add to that the mental stress that comes from all the work that you are doing, your various projects and so forth, and it's no surprise that you are starting to show such symptoms. To paraphrase a muggle expression, you have too many wands in the fire."

"What are you suggesting, Doctor, that I stop doing all things I'm doing? I did learn a while ago that I couldn't do everything myself but there's still a lot of things I have to do," Harry said.

"Have to do, Harry?" the Doctor asked, "Or choose to do?"

"It's the same thing, isn't it?"

"No, as a matter of fact it isn't. Truth be told there are very few things in life that we actually have to do. The rest are a matter of choice. I realize it is something very hard for you to accept, Harry, but unless you want to make yourself a very sick young man, that is, sicker than you are right now, and lessen the chances of ever becoming a very old man, you are going to have to start learning to say no. In addition, you are going to have to find some ways to relax that actually allow you to shed all this stress. Preferably something physical. Give some serious thought to getting back into Quidditch, but even just getting out and walking would be very helpful. In addition, you'll need to get new glasses. I'd say you're a few years overdue. Hopefully, now that the summer is here you'll have some opportunities but you need to make some serious decisions about how you live your life. I'd like you to stop back in two weeks and let me know how you're getting on. Alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, now, get yourself dressed and I think you'll find someone waiting for you in the waiting room. I sent a message before I came up here. So long, Harry, and please start taking better care of yourself," the Healer said as he stood up and offered Harry his hand.

"Thank you, Doctor Elsewhere."

Harry reached for his glasses on the small table next to his bed and when he put them on it did occur to him that the image wasn't all that clear, especially around the edges. He felt the real issue was in reading and the often obscure and difficult script the old books often used. He got his clothes out of the small closet and dressed. He made his way down to the waiting room and found Ginny and Abagail waiting there for him. They hurried up to him and wrapped him in a three way hug. Ginny looked up at him and said,

"What did the Healers have to say, Harry? All the message said was that you were ready to come home."

"Doctor Elsewhere said they believe it is mostly from stress but I also need new glasses."

At the word stress Ginny's eyes narrowed and Harry said,

"Yes, love, I know what you've been saying for the last six months but here we are."

"Yes, we are. So, first things first. Have you had anything to eat this morning?"

"Just a little bit, I could use something about now to hold me over to lunch. One thing these headaches have done is really curbed my appetite," Harry replied.

"Alright, we'll head to Diagon Alley and grab something at Angelina's and then we'll go to the Cauldron for lunch. In between we can take a slow walk and have a little discussion."

Harry winced a bit at the edginess he could discern in her voice. The whole time he and Ginny were talking Abagail was just holding on to Harry. Abagail had been an unfortunate bystander during this whole period. While her blocks were able to insulate her from the pain Harry had experienced she was all too aware of his misery and it had its affect on her. This was something she had not shared with anyone, however, feeling it would only add to everyone's concerns.

In a short time the three were walking through the door of the Angelina's Ice Cream Haven that had become in reality as much a bake shop as an ice cream parlor. Harry's bit of magical enhancement a year and a half ago had allowed for the inclusion of a second bakery display counter and a significant increase in the items available. Harry had become particularly fond of the flaky breakfast rolls that reminded him of the ones Abagail had made during her summer with the Weasleys.

Harry had been holding the door for his two girls and by the time he walked in Angelina was already out from behind the counter and moving towards him rapidly. He quickly found himself wrapped in those long, strong arms and he was glad to return the gesture. As usual she finished the hug by holding him at arm's length and asking him,

"How are you, Harry? What did the Healers tell you?"

"Stress mostly, and a new pair of glasses."

"Stress?" Angelina asked, her eyes going wide. "Aren't you a bit young to be making yourself sick with stress?"

"My thoughts exactly," Ginny said.

"Um," Abagail interjected, "if we're so worried about Harry's condition shouldn't we let him sit down and have something to eat? Standing around hungry isn't the best way to relieve stress, I'd think."

The two older women looked down at the diminutive witch and then back at each other sheepishly. Abagail took Harry's hand and led him over to a table and then went to the baked goods counter to order what she knew he'd want. When his wife and sister-in-law walked over to join him he simply regarded them with a completely neutral expression that nonetheless spoke volumes.

Abagail returned with a plate with two of the rolls on it and Angelina went and got him a cup of tea. Harry made short work of the rolls and then as he finished his tea he looked at Ginny and said,

"Well I guess the first thing to do is get fitted with new glasses. It's been so long I guess I'll have to find a new optometrist. I don't imagine going back to the one in Surrey."

"I'm sure we should be able to find someone close by, Harry."

"Then I guess I need to start thinking about what the doctor said. He said I need to have more physical activity, like Quidditch or hiking to help relieve the stress," he continued.

"And?" Ginny prompted.

"And what?"

"And what about your workload? All the things that you have a hand in. What about that?" Ginny asked.

"Give me some time to think about it, will you? I've only just found out about this an hour ago."

Ginny's eyes flashed and it appeared she was about to say something but then she stopped. She regarded Harry through narrowed eyes and then said in a kinder voice,

"Alright, Harry, but please try not to be all summer about it."

After Harry finished his midmorning snack, the three took their leave of Angelina and began a slow stroll along the pavements of Diagon alley, looking into windows. They did stop in at the Quidditch equipment store and spent some time talking with the owner and several customers. From there they moved on to the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shop where they had a short chat with George who was just getting ready for a trip to one of the vendors that made some of their wares. Abagail took a few minutes to talk with Gregory Mendel, Gabrielle's boyfriend, who, despite a fair amount of interaction, to include several visits to Meadow Crest and the Burrow for various occasions, still seemed nervous around Harry.

"You know, while we are here, I should probably stop in at Gringotts and have a look at our account," Harry said. "I think you should have a look at it, too, Gin."

"Alright, Harry, we have some time before lunch," she agreed.

After a short walk they approached the top of the steps that lead up to the doors that were swung open by the door Goblins and the three walked inside. Ginny looked around and said,

"I can't remember the last time I was in here."

"I should have had you in here a while ago. It is half your money," Harry said just as a clerk walked up.

"I'd like to have a look at my account. My wife needs to see it as well."

"Certainly, Mr. Potter. The young lady can wait over there," the Goblin said, gesturing to the reception area. "I will have the account book brought right away and alert Kandak of your presence. This way please."

Harry and Ginny were shown into a small room with which Harry was all too familiar. A second clerk brought in the account ledger followed by the seemingly unaging bank manager, Kandak.

"Professor Potter, how very nice to see you. I trust you're feeling well?"

Harry gave the Goblin a questioning glance.

"Oh, one comes to hear just about everything of importance, eventually. Much is discussed in the bank lobby."

"I see. Well, the problem has been identified. It remains to be seen if I can manage the remedy," Harry said.

Now it was the older Goblin's turn to look puzzled, in his case indicated by a slight turn of the head.

"The condition is stress related, apparently. I have to learn to relax more, do less."

"Ah, yes. I can see where that could present a challenge, especially for one such as yourself, with such far flung interests. As you can see from the ledger, your finances should be the least of your concerns at this time. Your income producing investments are doing well, exceeding your expenditures. The scholarship fund is likewise experiencing a growing surplus. The Foundation fund is stable at the moment. All in all, a sound portfolio."

"Thanks. I'd like to make a withdrawal of fifty galleons please."

Kandak gestured for the clerk to take care of it.

"I noticed the young artist in the lobby. If you'd excuse me I'd like to speak with her."

"Sure, and thanks for your time," Harry said, extending his hand.

"A pleasure as always, Professor," Kandak replied as he took Harry's hand and then left the small room.

Ginny looked at Harry and asked,

"What was all that about?"

"I guess it has to do with something that happened while Abagail was working on the paintings for the Ministry lobby. We were in here so she could do some sketches of the Goblins. Kandak saw her work and after I explained he said perhaps she could do something for the bank. I suppose he's still interested."

Ginny merely nodded and then said,

"You know, Harry, even though you've told me about it, those were still some pretty impressive numbers in that ledger."

"I know," he said, "at least, like Kandak said, it's one thing I don't have to worry about."

It took but a few minutes for the clerk to return with the money and the withdrawal slip for Harry to sign. He and Ginny then went out into the lobby to find Kandak and Abagail standing side by side, looking around the lobby, speaking and gesturing. They stood back and waited until the mismatched pair concluded their discussion. After a few more minutes, the Goblin and young witch shook hands and parted company. Abagail was looking thoughtful as she approached Harry and Ginny. They didn't say anything but their expressions were questioning.

"Mr. Kandak is interested in some sort of mural or series of paintings for the lobby. We were discussing possible subject matter," she replied to the unspoken question. "He's not quite sure what to do though. It is a Goblin run business but their customers are overwhelmingly human, so…" she let it hang with a shrug.

"I could see where that might be an issue. Our shared history hasn't been exactly friendly," Harry offered.

"So, we're both going to think about it. I guess I'll do some research and see if there are some topics that would at least be neutral. Maybe Hermione can give me some hints," Abagail said.

At this moment Harry's stomach made some noises. Ginny laughed while Abagail covered her mouth with her hand.

"Well, I guess that settles where we head next. Come on, let's get you to the Cauldron and some lunch."

A couple of days later two important events took place. The first was Harry's visit to an optometrist, a Doctor Entwhistle, that was recommended by the Grangers.

"So, Mr. Potter," the Doctor began, "I see that it has been sometime since you've last had your eyes examined."

"Yes, sir. Since moving away from where I grew up, I haven't gotten around to finding a new eye doctor. But I started having some headaches and it was thought that it was time for a checkup."

"Ah, yes. Eyestrain can create some significant issues. So, let's take a look at these old glasses and see what we are starting with."

Harry took off his old glasses and handed them to the Doctor who put them in a machine and peered through the eyepiece. He looked at some readouts and jotted down figures on the chart he started for Harry. Then he brought another piece of apparatus around and placed it in front of Harry's face.

"Alright, Mr. Potter. I'm sure you're familiar with this procedure. Please indicate which gives you the clearest image."

The Doctor began flicking levers on the device, bringing different lenses in front of Harry's eyes.

"This one, or this one?"

"The first."

"Alright, now better or worse?"

"Better."

And so it went for several minutes until the Doctor had zero'd in on the best combination. Next came the chart on the wall, or the electronic projection on the wall. Then he asked Harry some questions.

"So, tell me, Mr. Potter. What kind of reading do you do?"

"Well, sir, I find myself reading quite a few old books, some rather ancient ones in fact. Handwritten or copied, odd scripts, that sort of thing. Also, normal books and periodicals. All sorts really," Harry answered.

"I see. Well, I'm afraid to say that your days of getting by with just the one pair of glasses are at an end. You do need a stronger prescription for your regular glasses but for reading you're going to need a separate pair and something better suited for long periods. All that reading has had its impact and as we age our eyes become less capable of making adjustments. As to the headaches and eyestrain I would strongly recommend that you refrain from any heavy reading for the next several weeks. In fact, minimize any close in work for awhile. Do some things that require you to look out to some distance. Then work your way gradually back to a more normal regime but continue with intervals of more distant viewing. That should help keep the strain from building up."

"Yes, sir. I was expecting something like this. It's already been suggested I ease up for a while."

"Good advice. I should have the regular glasses ready in two days. We'll need to pick out some frames for them. The reading glasses should be ready a few days later but don't be in a hurry to try them out as I've said."

"Yes, sir, but new frames? You can't put new lenses in the old ones?" Harry asked.

The Doctor picked up Harry's old glasses and examined the round, heavy black plastic frame. He then regarded Harry with a cocked eyebrow.

"While I might understand an emotional attachment, Mr. Potter, I think we could do you a favor with something a bit lighter and a tad more stylish. Not to mention there appears to be a fair amount of deterioration in these," he said, holding them out to Harry to indicate where small lines, stress fractures, were beginning to appear.

"Ah, I see what you mean. I guess maybe I should look at something else then."

The other important event started out simply enough. Ron had stopped by Meadow Crest to see how Harry was doing, not realizing he wasn't home, so he sat in the living room and spent some time talking to his sister. It wasn't long before he also wound up talking with Fleur, who had stopped for a visit of her own. Her children were spending time with their father.

"I'm sorry I missed him, but I'm glad to see he's not wasting any time," Ron said.

"Oui, I was afraid 'e might not 'ave taken eet seriously enough," Fleur offered.

"I don't think we have to worry too much there. Those headaches have been enough to convince him he has to do some things differently. Now we just have to figure out what we're going to do," Ginny replied, getting a nod from Fleur and a frown from Ron.

"What do you mean 'we'?" he asked.

"Well, how we're going to help him figure out how to curtail his activities and lighten his workload. You know him, once he starts feeling better he'll be right back at it," Ginny said.

"Look, this isn't like those other times," Ron began. "He's not flat on his back or hobbling around on a pair of crutches. He's the one who is going to have to decide what things are important and what things can be put aside. Not us."

"What? You expect us to stand by and watch while 'e struggles weeth sometheeng thees important?" Fleur asked, her eyes flashing.

To Ron's credit he didn't flinch. Whether his growing self confidence or his concern for his best friend, or both, was emerging, he met that blue eyed stare.

"Hey, I'm concerned about him, too, first friend, remember? But I also know that with the two of you, your idea of help involves a lot of 'do this' and 'don't do that'. That's not going to work here. He's got to make some pretty serious decisions, maybe not as bad as when he left the Ministry but serious enough. Us pushing him isn't going to help."

"So what would you suggest?" Ginny said, apparently not all that pleased with her brother at the moment.

"Listen to him when he talks, answer any questions he might ask, but don't tell him what he should or shouldn't do."

"What about everyone else."

"They'll take their cues from you two, I'm sure," Ron replied.

Ginny nodded a bit and then said,

"But I'm not so sure about Mum."

Ron just laughed and said,

"Are you kidding? She probably had this figured out as soon as he got out of hospital."

Whether or not Molly Weasley had developed any plans regarding Harry remained to be seen but it appeared that Arthur had his own ideas. The day after Harry's visit to the eye doctor, he received an owl message from his father asking him if he could spare a few hours to help him with a project. Not bothering to reply he simply put on some old clothes, told Ginny he was going to the Burrow and left from the front porch. He popped into the backyard and was about to head through the kitchen door when he heard,

"Harry, son, over here."

Arthur Weasley was waving to him from the door leading into the shop. Harry made his way out of the backyard and over to the shop building. Arthur had ducked back inside so Harry walked in to find the Popular bare of any front sheet metal.

"What's going on, Dad? Problems?"

"No as such, Harry. I'm working on an upgrade and it helps not to have the bonnet and wings in the way. I called you over because I need a second pair of hands."

"Um, aren't you forgetting that I know next to nothing about mechanics?" Harry asked.

"That's alright, son. You don't need to. I just need a good pair of hands and any work with a spanner you may need to do I can talk you through."

"Ok, sir, if you say so. So what kind of 'upgrade' are you doing? Stuffing the engine from a muggle jet in there?" Harry asked teasingly.

"Funny you should put it that way, Harry."

Harry's eyebrows shot up.

"No, no, nothing that extreme. It's just that I'm adding a turbo supercharger and they got their start on muggle planes way back."

"Oh, I think I've heard of those. When I was still going to muggle school there was a kid who kept going on about the car his dad had bought and how it had one of those turbo thingies on it. Where did you find it?"

"The bloke at the machine shop who suggested the Volvo engine. I was in there having some work down on some brake parts and we got to talking and he mentioned it. When I told him I was interested he pointed me at someone who had some parts from a wrecked vehicle," Arthur said.

"And you know how to do this?" Harry asked skeptically.

"You're not the only one who can do research, Harry. I've asked lots of people lots of questions and got copies of the proper manuals and have been doing my homework. I think I've got it all worked out."

"Ok, dad. Let's get to it."

It actually took them the better part of three days to get it all hooked up, checked out and cleaned up. Harry had to take a break to go get his first pair of new glasses. They were still circular in shape but had metal frames and were a touch smaller so they didn't quite dominate his appearance as the others had. Ginny and Abagail both approved. It was a good thing that he had them because what came next was a surprise.

After firing the newly equipped motor up and make sure everything was tight and working properly, Mr. Weasley said,

"Ok, Harry, as a reward for all your hard work I'm going to let you have the first drive."

Harry's eyebrows almost went to his hairline in shock.

"Dad, what are you thinking? I've never driven a car in my life. I wouldn't know the first thing about it."

"I think you might be exaggerating just a bit, son, but don't worry, I'll talk you through it just a like I did with the mechanical work."

"Dad, I don't have a license."

"That never stopped me," Arthur said with a shrug.

"You don't have a license, Dad? What keeps you out of jail?"

"Well the fact that no one really pays much attention to me when I drive has a lot to do with it," Arthur said with a wink, obviously referring to the spells on the car. "Plus don't you think I could persuade an officer to let me off with a warning if I did get stopped?"

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, who was starting to get intrigued by the idea.

"Come on. In you go."

What followed was some of the most fun Harry had had in years. He first got a thorough going over of what to do and a rundown of all the controls for the operation of the car. Apparently his abilities with a broom and a wand had a significant amount to do with his own coordination because he was able to get the hang of balancing the clutch and accelerator pedals quite nicely and managed to reverse out of the shop without issue. He got familiar with the pattern for the gear shift lever and then with Arthur providing clear, calm encouragement Harry eased the little vehicle down the dirt road that led in the direction of Ottery St. Catchpole.

It was perhaps three hours later that the little black car came back down the dirt road with a bit more velocity than it had when it left. Anyone looking through the front windscreen would have seen two faces nearly split in two with wide grins. Harry easily wheeled the car up to the garage door and brought it to a halt.

"Oh wow, that was absolutely brilliant, Dad. I can't thank you enough."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, son. You certainly deserved it after all your hard work," Mr. Weasley replied.

After a few moments Harry said quietly,

"You don't think maybe I should start looking for something for myself…do you?"

The sound of laughter drifted towards the house where Molly was waiting for them.


	44. Chapter 44

Author's note: Yes, I know this one took a long time in coming, but sometimes life gets in the way of art, but for what it's worth, here it is.

Additional note: The following is a revision to the original posted a few hours ago. It was pointed out that a timeline error had been made concerning Teddy Lupin. I had him going off to school a year early, so i revised that portion of this chapter. Sorry for any inconvience.

Professor Potter, Chapter 44

Harry sat in his favorite chaise lounge on the lawn in front of the house at Meadow Crest. It was mid morning on a warm summer day a week after he had gotten the diagnosis for his stress induced headaches. He was wearing his new glasses and a broad brimmed hat to keep the sun out of his eyes. He was playing fetch with Snuffles and occasionally using his wand to cause the ball to dart around on the grass. The now fully grown Mastiff was enjoying himself immensely even with the occasional crash and roll when he tried to make too quick a change in direction. Before too long Harry heard a high pitched voice behind him call out,

"Snuffles, let's play!"

Someone had let James out and Harry knew that his time with the dog was over for the day. The boy and the beast were practically inseparable. Harry watched as a small dark haired blur rushed past him and quite literally threw himself at the big dog. The difference in size and mass were such that the boy came to an abrupt halt when contact was made and then the wrestling match was on. Absently, Harry noticed someone had had the presence of mind to dress his son in some rather disreputable looking play clothes.

What had previously been still, warm air was now full of the sounds of yells and shrieks mixed with low bass growls. It wasn't long before James was astride Snuffles' broad back, who then took to happily trotting around the lawn. Harry had seen this a number of times in the last few months and he had to wonder if his son was more suited to being a cowboy from the American old west than an English wizard.

A short while later he heard Ginny's voice behind him. He turned as best he could to see her walking slowly down the front walkway toward him, the now one year old Albus tottering along besides her, grasping her hand. The younger son regarded his brother with serious green eyes. Harry had come to recognize that Albus always seemed to look at things seriously. It appeared he was quite a different boy than his brother.

"Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm doing fine this morning. I just had that dull ache last night," Harry replied. "The optometrist warned me it might happen until I got used to the new glasses."

As mother and son came to stand next to the lounge chair Albus let go of his mother's hand and proceeded to climb up on to his father's lap with a little assistance.

"Do you mind if I leave him with you for a bit? I have some things I'd like to get to," she asked.

"Not at all, love."

With a smile and a kiss on the forehead for both of her 'boys' she went back towards the house. Harry handed his younger son the ball he had been throwing. Albus turned it over in his small hands, examining it in great detail. Then he looked up at his father, two pairs of green eyes meeting. Harry nodded and gestured. Taking the hint the boy reached back and threw the ball as hard as he could, all of ten feet or so. Seeing what his brother had done, James said,

"Snuffles, get the ball."

Dutifully the dog trotted over to where the ball lay and picked it up in his mouth. He stood there with the ball held in his jaws looking first at Harry and Albus and then back of his shoulder at James. Without warning, Snuffles flopped down, throwing James onto the grass with a shout. The boy spent several minutes haranguing the mastiff, who blissfully ignored him as he gnawed on the ball. Albus found it all extremely entertaining.

The playing continued until all three 'boys' had tired themselves out. When Ginny came out to retrieve them for lunch she found James asleep, leaning against a snoring Snuffles. Harry was dozing with Albus cradled against his chest, the boy oblivious to the world around him. Unsure if she should wake them, she stood there silently for a few moments. Whatever innate sense Harry had about being watched or approached seemed to prod at him and his eyes slowly opened.

"Hello there, sweetheart. Lunch is ready," she said.

"Alright. What if you take this one and I'll bring in James."

Albus stirred a bit as he was transferred to his mother's arms. Harry rose from his chair and bent down to scoop up James. At Harry's touch the boy woke up and looking at his father said,

"What, Da?"

"Time for lunch, my boy."

"Good, 'm hungry," James replied with a yawn.

At the sound of the word lunch, Snuffles' eyes popped open and with his own yawn he hauled himself to his feet and trotted along behind his family, secure in the knowledge that the two boys would provide more than a few scraps, some of which would actually be intentional.

After lunch Harry spent some time in the library. He was still under doctor's orders to stay away from any serious reading but he was currently working with a book that Ron had given him on advanced wizard's chess and since it was mostly diagrams, he felt he was on safe ground. As he regarded the pieces on the chess table and referred to a diagram, he heard a knock on the edge of the doorway from the corridor. He looked up to see Abagail and Angus standing hand in hand just outside the entrance.

"Do you have a moment, Harry?" Abagail asked.

"Of course, come in, please," he replied.

As the young couple walked toward him, Harry couldn't help but marvel at the change that had taken place with the boy, actually a young man. He was still quiet but he was a much more confident fellow. He rarely ever failed to make and hold eye contact. He smiled much more and almost never blushed if Abagail made some display of affection. But the diminutive witch was still likely to be the spokesperson for the pair.

"Harry, Angus and I wanted to talk to you about something," she said.

"Certainly, please sit down and tell me what's on your minds."

The two sat down on the couch across for where Harry was sitting, still holding hands. Harry waited for them to open the discussion.

"Angus and I have been thinking about the future, our future. And I guess we are looking for some advice," Abagail began. "We do want it to be our future together, you know. But we're not ready to take any big steps, if you know what I mean."

"I presume you're referring to getting married?"

"Well, yeah, it's what people do, right?" she asked.

"When and if the time is right, yes," he replied.

"Well, we're about the same age as you and Ginny were when you got married, right?"

"Yes, but as I said, if and when the time is right. For us it was the right time. You have to decide if it's right for you. Is it?"

"Um, well, that's just it, we don't know," Abagail replied, the anxiety plain in her voice.

"I certainly wouldn't want to try and tell you what to do about something this important, but it seems to me that if you aren't sure, you aren't ready."

Harry looked at the two of them for a moment and then asked,

"Would you be willing to tell me what brought this all about?"

Angus and Abagail exchanged anxious glances and then she said,

"We've heard Gran, I mean, Molly, er, Mrs. Weasley talking about Charlie and El and wondering if they'll ever get married and it made us wonder, you know?"

Harry couldn't help but smile at the image of one of Molly Weasley's laments about her second son and his unconventional lifestyle.

"Ok, well, you're asking for my advice so here it is. Don't do anything until you feel it's the right time to do it," he said, with a strong emphasis on the 'you'. "You have plenty of time to worry about the future and family and the rest of it. Spend some time enjoying the here and now."

Abagail and Angus looked at each other and smiled. Hers was much broader than his as they turned back towards Harry.

"We're glad you said that, Harry, because we had an idea but we weren't sure how to present it to you."

"Oh really? And what might that be?" he asked, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"Angus' boss is pushing him to take some time off again and we thought we might take a trip and tour some of the continent," she replied.

Despite her smile and light tone, it was obvious that Abagail had in mind Harry's reaction when she and Gabrielle had planned to visit Paris by themselves several years prior. She looked at Harry, trying to gauge his reaction to this new proposal. She thought she saw the slightest shrug and then he said,

"If that's what you want to do, you certainly can. Can you afford it?" he asked.

Abagail had to admit she was a little surprised at his acceptance of the idea, but she wasn't going to prod the dragon, so to speak, by pursuing that line of thought.

"Oh, I'd say so, Harry. Angus doesn't spend much of what he earns beyond rent and food and I've been saving most of what I've been taking in from my various projects, so we've more than enough."

"Well, that's good to know. If you haven't already, I'd suggest you talk to Fleur and Bill. They've taken a few trips over the years and I'm sure they'd be able to offer some tips and suggestions."

"That's a great idea, Harry. I know I've said it before, but…"

"I know, I know, I'm the best," he finished for her.

With a laugh, she bounced up and hurried over to give him a hug. Angus followed behind and when Harry was able to get a hand free he shook it, along with saying quietly,

"Thank ya, Professor."

Of course, no one was going anywhere until after Harry's birthday at the end of the month. With all the concerns of the past several months and the relatively benign outcome, Harry had decided it was time for a full blown party to include family, friends and those acquaintances that had been associated with his several projects. It would be his twenty eighth birthday, not significant numerically, but he intended it to be special nonetheless.

Unlike previous years Harry took an active role in planning this party. He thought it might be good therapy to be actively involved in some organized happiness. He gave particular attention to the cakes and cookies that were planned. Adept at maintaining family harmony, he spread the wealth, as it were, by having Mrs. Weasley, Angelina and Kreacher all supply different items. With Kreacher, Harry was very adamant that the little house elf restrict himself to just baking. Harry was growing more concerned about the health of his faithful servant and friend.

When the numerous invitations were sent out, they all contained the request not to bring presents. Harry knew that there would be those who would ignore the request but most would heed it. He also wanted to make sure that there would be plenty of opportunity for some Quidditch over the meadow so several days before the party he pulled all the brooms and equipment out of the closet under the stairs. He set up shop on the front portico and was in the process of polishing the broomsticks when a familiar fragrance caught his attention.

"Hello, Fleur, it's nice to see you," he said without looking up.

He heard a throaty chuckle and then she replied,

"Bon jour, mon ami. It would be nice eef you actually deed see me."

Harry turned and looked up from where he was working and said with a laugh,

"Just a convenient phrase. A professor should be more precise with his language I guess. It is wonderful to have you here," he said as he stood up and approached the silver haired beauty.

She had her arms out for her customary hug which she administered with her usual enthusiasm. When she was done, however, she held Harry at arm's length, much as Angelina would do and looked at him closely.

"You are lookeeng better, 'arry. 'ow are you feeleeng?"

"I'm feeling quite well, just an occasional dull ache. I am feeling a bit neglected though. I would have thought to have seen more of you these days," Harry said with a crooked grin.

"I admeet eet was deeficult to stay away, 'arry, but eet was suggested that you were most capable of dealeeng weeth the situation yourself."

"Oh, really? And who was the tower of wisdom who suggested that?" he asked with a laugh.

"Ronald."

"Wait a minute," Harry said with surprise. "Ron was able to talk to you long enough to tell you that?"

"Oui, 'e was very clear and quite convinceeng."

"Wow," Harry said quietly, but clearly impressed.

Ron's usual inability to string more than a few words together in Fleur's presence was the stuff of family legend. Of course, Fleur's tendency to turn her charm on him at full strength had a lot to do with it, Harry felt.

"In that case, what brings you here this morning?"

"Qu'est-ce? What? I need to 'ave a reason to veeseet some of my favorite people?" she asked in mock outrage.

"No," Harry replied, "but you generally do."

Fleur regarded him with narrowed eyes and then laughed her silvery laugh and drew Harry into another, if briefer, hug. When she let him go she was smiling.

"I came to see eef Geeny needed any 'elp weeth the party. And I also weeshed to see 'ow you were getteeng along."

Harry smiled and hooked her arm with his saying,

"It's nice to know you still care."

Then he led her inside to the kitchen where Ginny was working on the menu with the house elves.

It was a happy coincidence that this year Harry's birthday actually fell on a Saturday. While Harry would concede that the important thing was the gathering of friends and family, he always thought that having the celebration on the actual birthday was special and right. The morning of his birthday dawned pleasantly warm with the promise of sunshine moderated with intermittent high fluffy clouds.

All of the tables and chairs, as well as several pavilions had been set up the day before but Harry was up early and out checking on everything anyway. Since James wasn't up yet, Snuffles was trailing along behind Harry, sniffing at all the strange things that had appeared on his lawn. Once Harry was satisfied that all was in order he settled into a chair and began tossing the ball around, although he kept it away from the area where everything was. He didn't think there would be much left standing if Snuffles got in amongst the portable furniture.

Around midmorning a familiar couple appeared on the walkway from the car park in the woods. Harry smiled broadly as he got up to greet his mum and dad. Snuffles padded along at his side. Harry had gone to great lengths to ensure that the big dog was trained not to charge at visitors, no matter how happy he was to see them. There was an exchange of hugs and handshakes and Harry began to relieve them of some of their burdens. He didn't get very far before they heard a breathy shout and they turned to see Abagail rush down the walkway to greet her grandparents. As the little witch was engulfed in hugs, Nibs and Dinkle popped into view to take all the boxes and bags and then disappear back into the house.

"Well," Molly began, her arms still wrapped around Abagail's shoulders, "that was certainly convenient."

"Um, Harry," Abagail said from the circle of Molly's arms, "I was told to bring in Gran, but I quote 'the two men stay outside'."

"Well, I like that," Arthur said. "I can't even come in to see my grandsons?"

"They happen to be part of the problem, well most of it really. James is very excited about the day and he managed to send most of his breakfast flying. We were trying to get it all straightened up when you arrived."

"Alright, then, but I expect them out here in short order," the Weasley family patriarch said with a scowl that everyone knew was a fraud.

Molly regarded him with a raised eyebrow and then said,

"You boys go sit down and have a talk and we'll be out before long."

Harry and Arthur watched as Molly and Abagail walked hand in hand toward the house. Then they went and found seats under one of the open sided pavilions. Snuffles went off to do some investigating along the edges of the flower beds. Harry doubted he would find much. While there had been a hint or two of garden gnome activity in the trees that surrounded the property, there had been no sign of any in or around the flower beds or shrubbery. The thought of the little potato shaped creatures dashing madly about the Weasley property caused him to smile a bit, especially when Crookshanks was there to chase them about. Harry realized he hadn't seen or heard of the big cat in years. Harry was pulled back to the here and now by the sound of Arthur's voice.

"Actually, Harry," Arthur began, "in a way this works out quite nicely. I had something to talk to you about and it might be better in private."

"Really? What is it, dad?" Harry asked.

"It has to do with what you said after your drive in the Popular."

Now, had anyone been watching the two, they would have seen Arthur withdraw a sheet of paper from his pocket and after unfolding it, showing it to Harry. They would have seen the two with their heads close together, nodding and gesturing and finally shaking hands. Arthur added a clap on the shoulder.

It wasn't too long before more guests began to arrive. These were the brothers and their significant others. By now James and Albus were outside and with their cousins were creating quite a bit of happy noise. All except little Victoire, who was now old enough to realize that her favorite uncle had been ill and she was making sure that he was truly well before she went off to play. Harry sat with his niece in his lap while Bill and Fleur sat nearby. She was holding onto one of his hands and was looking at him very seriously.

"You're feeling better, Uncle 'arry?"

"Yes, I am, Vee. The bad headaches are all gone."

"Good. You've stopped reading?" she asked next.

"Yes, ma'am. All I've been doing is looking at some pictures in a wizard's chess book."

"No more headaches, ok, Uncle 'arry?"

"Yes, ma'am, little Miss Vee, no more headaches, I promise."

"Good."

And with that and a hug she was off to join the other children. Another member of the younger set arrived shortly after, Ted Lupin. Harry hadn't see much of his godson in the last months with all that had been going on and then his illness. He wanted the chance to spend some time alone with him and talk so soon after he arrived the two were taking a walk around the grounds.

"I'm really happy that your doing better, Harry. Gran and I were really getting worried about you," Ted said.

"I'm sorry about that, Ted. It appears I need to learn to pace myself still," Harry said with a little laugh. "But I'm more interested to know how you're doing. How are your lessons coming along? You have only a year left until Hogwarts"

"I don't even what to think about that, Harry," the boy said with a mock shudder.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"What if I don't get my letter?" the boy asked with geniune concern.

"How could you think that? You come from two lines of witches and wizards and one goes back a long, long way."

"Yeah, but look who they were. Maybe Hogwarts doesn't want a wizard from the that 'line'."

"You're looking at it the wrong way, Ted. Look at your Gran and your mother. They are very fine examples of the kind of witch or wizard that can come from that family background. And haven't I told you about Sirius? Don't forget that the Weasleys are your relatives, too. I'd bet my last galleon that you'll get your letter and right on time."

The boy was quiet for a bit and then said,

"I hadn't thougth of it that way, Harry. I guess when you look at it that way I might not have that much to worry about then."

"Exactly. Just remember to concentrate on your lessons and get yourself ready. Plus you're still coming up for a couple of days of Quidditich camp so keep that thought in mind and go have some fun now," Harry finished with a laugh.

"Yes, sir, Professor Potter, sir," the boy responded with a laugh of his own.

By around noon guests were arriving quickly. A number of former DA members had arrived as a well as Hogwarts faculty members. Even Professor Markovic of the Black Sea school had shown up. Apparently, he had come to the UK to visit old friends over the summer break and was invited to tag along by some of the Hogwarts teachers. Additional guests from the Ministry and Harry's Quidditch related activities were also appearing.

As far as Quidditch was concerned it didn't take long before broomstick riders began taking to the sky above the meadow. It was apparent that some of the flyers, those making use of Harry's stock of spare brooms, hadn't done much flying lately, but that didn't stop them from having a good time. One hapless flyer got too caught up in the fun and overestimated his ability to cut a tight turn, causing him to come adrift and land in the pond. He was quickly fished out and dried out off but he wisely chose to surrender his borrowed broom for awhile.

Food was everywhere and no particular schedule had been set up for dining. People ate as they chose and the groupings of guests constantly shifted. Around two in the afternoon, a trio of important guests arrived, the three Longbottoms. When Harry noticed them appearing on the walkway to the woods, he immediately hurried over to greet them.

"Nev, Hannah, it's great to see you. And you, too, little miss," the last directed at Alice, held by Neville.

"Happy birthday, Harry," Neville said, managing to free a hand to shake Harry's.

"And many, many more," Hannah added with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Alice simply smiled shyly from the safety of her father's arms. Harry escorted his friends up into the crowd where they found Ginny talking with Ron and Hermione and a few of the former DA members. After a flurry of greetings they all settled in for a visit. As the conversation shifted among the various friends Harry leaned toward Hermione and said,

"You know, I had an odd thought earlier today about garden gnomes and it brought to mind Crookshanks. Whatever happened to him?"

"Oh, he's still around. He lives with my parents. He sort of adopted my mother once we were done with school. He follows her around, sits next to her on the couch. He hasn't changed much, a little fatter but that's about it," she replied.

"Really? It must be what, fourteen or fifteen years since you bought him? I'd think he'd be showing his age by now," Harry said.

"Well, it was at the start of our third year so, yes, fifteen years ago, and I don't know really how old he was when I got him, but cats can live long lives. And to be honest, I've never really been sure if he is just a plain cat. But my mother seems very happy to have him around. She calls him Crooky."

Harry nodded a bit and gave a sad little smile.

"I'm sorry they couldn't make the party. It would have been nice to see them," Harry said.

"Bad timing. They got a chance to take that cruise with some old friends. They'd like to come visit when they get back," Hermione offered.

"Absolutely."

"As the afternoon slid into evening, a more mellow mood settled over the party guests. The sky was devoid of flyers and most of the children were napping in various spots around the lawn. Dinkle had floated the wizard's chess set out under one of the pavilions and the sound of spirited combat provided a background to the various conversations taking place. Harry was doing far more listening than talking. The topics were generally light centering around family, jobs, Quidditch and the like. Occasionally Harry would pick up a comment or two concerning the lamentable Reverend Armbruster and his witch hunt. It reminded Harry that it was obviously still a matter of concern for the magical community. He was pondering this line of thought when a deep voice got his attention.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," Kingsley Shacklebolt offered.

"Oh, hello, sir. I hadn't realized you were here."

"Just arrived, Harry. It turned out to be a busy Saturday. You were looking very thoughtful as I walked up."

"Yes, I guess I was. I was just thinking about our friend the Reverend," Harry replied.

"Ah, yes. Not a week goes by that I don't get a report of his latest diatribe. I would have thought that by now the interest would have worn off, since he hasn't provided a shred of evidence, but he still seems to be able to hold the attention of at least some muggles."

"My experience in the muggle world being what it was, it doesn't surprise me too much. There are always plenty of people willing to think the worst of someone who is different," Harry said quietly.

"Well, I certainly didn't mean to dampen the mood. It looks like you've had a fine turn out," the Minister said.

"Yes, sir. Just what the doctor ordered. It's been a terrific day."

With that said, the Minister began to circulate to say hello to the others. As the evening deepened, magical lamps began to switch on, bathing the grounds in various colored lights. George and Angelina, latecomers due to business demands, had passed out some sparklers and small noisemakers to the kids, young and old, and these added to the festive mood. George had originally wanted to provide a full on display to include lots of high flying fireworks but it was decided it would likely draw the attention of some muggles.

By the time the last guests had departed it was close to midnight, these being the closest of family who had wound up in the living room. Harry and Ginny found themselves alone, the boys put to bed and Abagail and Angus off on their own adventures. They each had a cup of tea in hand, just relaxing after the wonderful day that had just passed when they became aware of a presence in the room. Harry looked up to see the very clear image of his mother standing near the entrance from the corridor.

"Hello, Mum. It's been awhile since we've seen you."

"Yes, I know, dear. With all that you had going on, and then your headaches, it was thought perhaps you needed fewer distractions. But I couldn't stay away on your birthday," she said with a smile as she 'walked' closer.

"I'm not sure you'd ever be considered a distraction, Mum, but I understand," Harry said.

Ginny was sitting quietly, regarding the woman who was so pivotal in Harry's life but whom she had never really 'met'.

"And hello to you, my dear," Lily said to Ginny. "I realize we haven't said much to each other in the past. I wanted you to know how much I appreciate all you've done for Harry. And how much I adore you're two children."

"Thank you. Up until now, I haven't really been able to see you very much. Not as well as Harry or Abagail at least," Ginny replied softly.

"Yes, it does seem that as the years have gone by, the stronger my, well, presence I guess you'd say becomes. I believe you and Merlin discussed that once, didn't you, dear?" Lily asked Harry.

"Yes, he suggested that the stronger I become magically, and the more often we interact, the stronger the link between us becomes and the stronger your image is. He suggested that after I die, you won't be here anymore."

Lily nodded.

"I think I like that idea. I don't really want to be around here forever, you know. Becoming a ghost was most certainly not in my plans. But that's a long, long time in the future I hope. Of more immediate concern is how are you feeling, Harry? The headaches I mean, of course."

"A lot better, Mum. Hardly any problems at all," he replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. We were concerned."

"We?"

"Yes, me, your father, Dumbledore, even Merlin was worried that he had placed too much of a burden on you with his tome."

"You talk about me?" Harry asked.

"Harry, dear, it's not like we have a great deal to do. Dumbledore of course has his diversions with the Heads office and Ministry hallway but for the rest of us what we can observe of this world is limited and centers mainly around you. Suffice to say there is usually plenty to discuss," she finished with a smile.

Harry said nothing but his expression spoke volumes.

"Now, if I may be a mother for a moment, I'd suggest you two get to bed. It's been a long day I'm sure and you both look like you could use some rest. I think I'll go check on the children," Lily said with a smile as she began to turn before stopping to look at Ginny.

An ethereal hand reached out and 'rested' lightly on her daughter-in-law's hair. She smiled and said,

"I certainly do like the color, my dear," and then she was gone.


	45. Chapter 45

Professor Potter, Chapter 45

"How are they looking this year, Harry?" Bill Weasley asked.

"Pretty sharp, actually. I think some of them, at least, spent a lot of time playing this summer."

The 'they' Bill and Harry were referring to were the seekers attending the annual Quidditch camp. The two were standing side by side watching as their brother Charlie and several former pros were putting the youngsters through their paces.

"That appears to be true for most of the flyers. I think the youth summer league is going to pay big dividends," Bill said.

Harry simply nodded. They were nearing the end of the first week of camp and Harry was pleased with what he was seeing so far. The camp had an added international flavor this year. The two Beauxbaton exchange students were in attendance as well as two soon-to-be coaches and several senior students from Black Sea. The administration of the new school in Bulgaria felt that it was time to get a bit more serious about their Quidditch program.

Harry knew a large part of the impetus for this was coming from the East European national and pro teams that were looking for help in building up their teams after all the issues they had to deal with after the collapse of Durmstrang's program. The Black Sea attendees were looking for ideas on setting up their program, but more importantly to re-establish ties that had been damaged by what had happened at the old school.

In keeping with the orders of the Healers at St. Mungo's, Harry was spending most of his time flying and doing demonstrations and next to nothing in terms of administration of the camp. He was enjoying himself immensely. Something else he was enjoying a great deal was the time he had been spending over the last couple of weeks in the evenings and weekends with his dad. During Harry's birthday party, Arthur had told him about a car that he thought would interest the budding young autoist.

Harry's exposure to automobiles had been very one sided over the years. That is, from the back seat. First, in Uncle Vernon's Volvos when he had had the chance, which was not that often. Then the ill fated Anglia when the boys rescued him from the Dursley's that summer. Riding in the front seat of the Anglia on the trip to Hogwarts had been fun for the first couple of hours but eventually it got dead boring right up to the very exciting end of the ride. The fact that the Anglia was lost and Arthur Weasley was fined didn't help matters much. However, his experience in helping his father work on the Popular and his own time behind the wheel of the modified little car sold him on the idea of having one of his own.

The car he had been shown, and subsequently purchased, was a 1958 Morris Minor Traveler. It was a small estate wagon with four doors and wood trim. It was in reasonably good shape, but the wood needed restoration and Mr. Weasley had a few ideas about the drive train. The car was currently occupying the second bay of the shop at the Burrow. Abagail and Angus were lending a hand as well.

As he stood watching the flyers go through their exercises, he was anxiously awaiting his next driving lesson which was set for the following afternoon, which was a Saturday. At the appointed hour Harry Disapparated into the backyard of the Burrow and turned at the sound of a car bonnet being closed. He turned to see Arthur gesture towards him.

"Ah, Harry. There you are and right on time."

"Hello, Dad. Yeah, I didn't want to be late," Harry replied.

"Good. Let's move along then. Molly is out at Shell Cottage so you don't have to worry about stopping in to say hello."

Harry smiled and made his way around the garden wall and over to the Popular. Arthur handed him the keys and within moments the little black car was heading down the country lane towards Ottery St. Catchpole. Harry had been out several times and his confidence behind the wheel was growing. He had little concern now when Arthur directed him to one of the busier motorways. He had come to discover that whatever innate sense allowed him to know someone was approaching him also allowed him to anticipate when vehicles might shift lanes or overtake him.

When all was said and done, he found driving to be a thoroughly enjoyable activity. Ginny had asked him if he found it more fun than broomstick flying or flying as the dragon. She was a little surprised at his answer. He told her it wasn't more or less fun, but a different kind of fun. It was something that he had had to learn to do, not something he was just able to do. The learning was as much a part of the fun as the actual driving. She thought she understood this based on their past discussions about broomstick flying and who was better able to teach it.

On the return loop Harry found himself driving along a road on the outskirts of good sized village with houses spaced on either side. Ahead he saw what appeared to be a small crowd of people demonstrating about, or against, something. Some were carrying and waving signs. As they rolled closer the words on some of the signs became clearer and both Harry and Arthur's expressions clouded. One sign read 'No Witches in Newton Poppleford'. The Popular rolled to a stop some fifty yards or so from the edge of the crowd. Some other people were standing across the road about half way between the crowd and the car. Harry looked over at his dad.

"Do you know if any of ours live here?"

"Not that I'm aware of, Harry, but I can't say for certain."

Harry shut off the engine and began to open the door.

"Harry," Arthur began.

"No worries, Dad. I'm just going to take a look."

Arthur looked skeptical but said nothing further. Keeping his expression neutral, Harry strolled slowly over towards the other spectators. Since the demonstrators were more or less blocking the roadway his approach didn't cause any outward concern among the on-lookers. One of the men looked at him and Harry asked,

"What's all this, then?"

"A bunch o' bloody nonsense, if'n ya ask me, mate. The old lady has lived here her whole life, so did her ma. Now they think she's some kinda witch. That bloody minister is stirrin' people up, that's what."

Harry simply shook his head in response and watched as the group of twenty five or so people shook their signs and chanted various phrases.

"They should be more careful," Harry said in an off-hand manner. "Someone is liable to get hurt with those signs waving around like that."

"Might do 'em some good. Knock some sense into 'em."

Harry nodded and thought a moment. He should be close enough, he thought. Squinting a bit behind his new glasses he added a little shove to a sign that was waving widely. It swung wildly and hit a man on the side of the head. A shouted 'Oi!' rang out and the sign was shoved back. Harry smirked a little when he heard a snorted laugh from the man next to him. A few minutes later someone 'stumbled' sideways and stepped on the foot of another demonstrator. This resulted in a hard shove sending the first person into another. A short scuffle broke out. This distracted the others, who then tried to separate the scufflers, resulting in several more struggles.

"What a bunch of bleedin' sods," the man next to Harry muttered.

A general melee' was in the offing when two cars from the Devon and Cornwall Police arrived from opposite directions. A voice boomed from the public address speaker of one of the cars, which said,

"Alright, this is the police. Break it up or you're all nicked."

This announcement was followed by two short, sharp blasts from the car's siren.

"I said, break it up," the voice boomed out again.

Those on the edge of the brawl got the message and began pulling on the others. In moments the ragtag mob began to disperse. Seeing that the worst was over, Harry made his way back to the car and got in.

"I'd like to wait until the police leave and then see if the lady who lives there is alright. Someone told me she's lived there all her life, and so did her mother."

"That's fine, Harry," Arthur said mildly. "Odd, though, how that crowd seemed to turn on itself."

Harry shrugged and simply said,

"They should have been more careful."

It took some fifteen minutes or so for everyone to clear off. An officer went to the door but apparently got no response. The two cars pulled away going in opposite directions. The one that passed by the Popular didn't even slow down and the two officers inside barely glanced at it, a testament to Arthur's magical handiwork. Harry rolled the car forward and stopped in front of the stone cottage and then stepped out. It was a fairly old house but it seemed in good repair and the front garden was tidy. He knocked on the door and got no response. He knocked again and said,

"Hello, the house."

Still nothing.

"Ma'am, I'm sure you're home. I'm not a protestor or the police. I just want to make sure you're alright."

As he spoke he tried to make his voice reassuring. He wasn't sure if that had worked specifically but he heard the sound of someone approaching the other side of the door. His dragon senses also picked up what sounded like a muttered 'leaving an old lady in peace'. The door cracked open enough so the occupant could say,

"As you can see, I'm well and would be so much the better for being left alone, thank you very much. Now be off with you."

"I'll be gone in a moment, ma'am, but we, my father and I, were just concerned with what we saw happen. We just wanted to make sure you were safe. Had you been a real witch that wouldn't have been an issue, of course," Harry said levelly.

The door swung open about half way and he was confronted by an elderly woman of average size, long gray hair and penetrating dark brown eyes. It was clear she was upset.

"Now what kind of fool thing is that to say? You come to my door and …" was as far as she got as the look on her face shifted from anger to surprise.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Harry asked.

"It's you. You're him. You're Harry Potter."

"You know me?"

She grabbed him by the arm with a surprisingly strong grip and pulled him inside.

"I know of you is more to the point," she replied.

"So you are a witch, then."

"No, but me mum was. Da was a muggle. I didn't get any of her powers but she was good with potions, real good. So she taught me all she knew about the healing kinds that didn't need any magical assistance. Make a tidy livin' with 'em. Lots of muggles go in for the natural remedies and herbal teas and such. Now that fool parson has stirred things up."

"The Reverend Armburster, I take it," Harry responded.

"That's the devil. I can tell you this. Not a single one of them idiots out there before was from around here. Don't know how they heard of me, but I do have customers that come from a fair distance. Someone must've overheard something."

"How do you know about me?" Harry asked.

"The Daily Prophet. We've been subscribers since afore I was born. Oh, I know they didn't do you any favors there but it's my only tie to my mother's world. It gets dropped down the old chimney at night. Had to tread lightly during those awful Voldemort years but I made sure I was just another muggle peddlin' her teas and ointments."

"Do you think you'll be alright after today?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned.

"Oh, I believe so, deary. I have mostly friends around here. This was a bit of a surprise, but thank you for your concern. And for everything else you've done," she finished with a squeeze of his arm.

After bidding the woman farewell, Harry walked back out to the street and got into the car. Arthur looked at him, waiting for an explanation.

"She's an elderly woman whose mother was a witch. She learned how to make medicinal potions and the like. She makes a living selling natural remedies and so forth. Apparently that crowd were all outsiders to the village."

"Do you think she's going to have more troubles?"

"She didn't think so. Apparently she has a number of friends here. But I think I'll ask Milligan to check around and see. I'm beginning to find our friend the Reverend more than just a bit annoying," Harry replied, the last part rather quietly.

"Have a care, Harry. Having him disappear in a ball of fire wouldn't do us much good."

"Please, Dad, I'd like to think I've outgrown any such behavior."

Mr. Weasley regarded Harry with raised eyebrows as his son started the engine and began the last leg of the drive home to the Burrow. That evening he was sitting at the table in the dining room with Ginny, the two boys and Abagail and Angus. The last two had spent the afternoon planning their trip around Europe that was to begin in September and Angus had been invited to stay for dinner. Abagail was laughing openly while Ginny just rolled her eyes while Harry described how the demonstrators turned on each other, with a little help from him. Then Ginny said,

"It's disgraceful how those people behaved, harassing an old woman like that. Quite frankly, Harry, I think you were far too lenient with them."

"What do you think I should have done, love? Spray them with dragon fire?"

"Well, of course not, Harry. But a good dose of Bat Bogeys would have been a good idea."

Now it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes. Neither of them noticed the whispered discussion that Abagail was having with Angus. Harry got all the details and then some the next day.

Since it was the middle of the afternoon on a warm, lazy Sunday in late August the young couple found him outside on the front lawn, his lounge chair pulled under the shade of an ornamental tree. Snuffles was tucked up next to the chair, sound asleep, since James and Albus were both down for naps. Harry looked over as they approached.

"Hello there, you two. Couldn't find anything more fun to do on a Sunday afternoon?"

"We may not have been having fun, but I think you'll agree that what we've been doing has been very interesting and very, very enlightening," Abagail said with a satisfied smirk.

"Am I going to be happy with what I'm about to hear?" he asked seriously.

"I don't know if you'll be happy with what you hear, Harry, but I'd think you'll be glad you heard it."

"How wonderfully cryptic," Harry said with a brief smile. "Out with it," he added in his best copper voice.

"Well, after what you talked about last night at dinner as well as over the course of the last year or so, you know, about that Reverend and the evidence he claims he has, it got us to thinking. So Angus and I went to see if we could find out what he knows."

"You what?" Harry asked, sitting upright on the chaise lounge.

"Calm down, Harry. It's not like we strolled into Durmstrang or that Chamber of Secrets place. It was just a church. He's a minister after all, so we just attended his service this morning. Sat right up front and I peeled him like an onion for you."

Harry stared at the impudent grin on the girl and the somewhat embarrassed expression of the young man. He shook his head and then said,

"Alright, tell me."

"He hasn't a thing, Harry. His so called evidence doesn't exist. What he has in a great deal of fears about things that go bump in the night. Apparently he didn't have a very happy childhood as a result. He's also incredibly superstitious. Black cats, upside down horseshoes, the lot."

"So it's all a fraud?" Harry asked.

"No, I wouldn't go so far as to say that. He really believes we exist, he just doesn't have the proof he claims. I'd say he fits into that classic mold that says odd old ladies who keep cats are probably witches. And of course anything strange or spooky that happens in the area is their fault. He's a very old fashioned fellow, our Reverend. I don't think he'd hesitate to throw a torch on the bonfire if he could get away with it."

Harry's expression turned grim. After what he saw the day before, he was pretty sure that the Reverend would have plenty of help. Abagail and Angus watched in silence as Harry thought the situation over.

"I think it's about time I paid Reverend Armburster a visit," he finally said.

"Um, Harry, this visit isn't going to involve any loud noises or bright lights, is it?" Abagail asked anxiously.

"Not unless he starts it," Harry said with a smirk.

The following morning Harry let Bill know he would miss that day's camp due to some important business that came up at the last minute. Abagail had given him the address to the church and some directions to where he could 'pop up' unnoticed. He could Disapparate to the spot and walk the half mile to the church. Since his knee hadn't given him any trouble in quite a long while, he didn't think it would be a problem.

He dressed as conservatively as possible, trying to look like a well heeled member of the gentry. He even made an attempt at getting his hair under control but didn't make much progress. He left from the front portico after receiving admonishments from Ginny and Abagail to make sure he didn't lose his temper. He arrived at the spot Abagail had suggested in a little wooded area just before the pavements that led into town began. He took his time and within fifteen minutes or so he came to the smallish stone church whose sign board listed the Reverend Armburster as the pastor. He looked about and saw a small door that had the sign 'office' next to it.

As Harry stood before the door he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. During the walk he could feel his temper building and he knew he needed to stay calm. He turned the handle and swung the door in. There was a desk by the door for a receptionist but it was empty and looked like it had been for a while.

"Hello? Anyone about?" Harry asked.

"Yes, who's there?" a voice called from a small office of the reception room.

"My name is Harry and I'd like to talk to you about your work, sir."

"Well, Mr. Harry, do come in," the voice said.

Harry closed the door behind him and followed the sound of the voice into the small office. Standing behind the desk was a middle aged man with gray hair and a slight paunch. His watery brown eyes looked a little tired but there was something else there as well. Harry didn't know if it was zeal or a bit of insanity but it was there none the less. The dragon rumbled a bit. The minister offered his hand and Harry took it. The grip was nothing of note.

"Please, sit and be as comfortable as the surroundings allow. By my work, I presume you mean my crusade against the dark forces of magic."

"Just so," Harry replied mildly. "I'd be interested to know what brought it all to your attention."

"Well, sir, it was a gradual thing at first. Growing up in the country there was always strange occurrences. Livestock gone missing, odd creatures spotted out on the moors, mysterious lights and noises. The old folks would tell their tales but never really taking them seriously, or so I thought. Of course as you grow older you're taught that it's all nonsense, just tales from someone's imagination. But over the years I've come to find that's not so. There is so much that can't be explained by logic and science. And plenty of others know it to be true but they succumb to the allure of the mystical and join groups and play at magic. But I know it's not play. That the true practitioners are out there, hiding in the shadows and dark places, spreading their evil."

Harry never took his eyes off the man's face, and his eyes. What was there began to grown stronger as he talked. Harry couldn't tell but he had a feeling it was more insanity than zeal.

"Evil? You know this?" Harry asked quietly.

"What else could it be, Harry. The good book tells us not to suffer witches to live, how could they not be evil then?"

The Reverend then proceeded to describe to Harry a long list of supposed acts and atrocities committed over the years by the forces of darkness. When the man finally wound down Harry nodded. Then he asked,

"Have you ever met a witch, or seen one performing these acts?"

"Alas, no. In all my investigations I've only ever seen the results. The remnants of their twisted rites, the fear in the eyes of their victims, and the treachery of their writings."

"Would it surprise you, sir, to learn that you have indeed met one of them? A wizard in fact, for the men are called wizards and the women witches," Harry said.

"Who, when and how do you know this?" the Reverend asked, his eyebrows pulling down in a frown.

"Me, now and this is how," Harry replied and with a whispered phrase he levitated the small lamp that sat on a corner of the desk.

The Reverend's watery eyes nearly popped out of his head as he stared at the lamp. His hands, that had been clasped tightly on the desk in front of him, began to shake. Slowly his eyes pulled away from the floating object and focused on the mildly deceptive face before him.

"That's right, sir. I'm the real thing, and after all these years you finally have your proof. And therein lies your dilemma. For I'm sure you're very much afraid right now that there is much more I could do, and specifically, do to you," Harry said as he let the lamp drift back down to the desktop.

Harry looked at the frozen ashen features and smiled a bit.

"You must be, I'm sure, quite familiar with tales of the witch burnings of the past. I can assure you, sir, that in all probability not a one of those poor souls were either a witch or a wizard. Any moderately competent magic user could have easily avoided the efforts of the so called witch finders. Instead they murdered thousands of innocents out of fear, hatred, jealousy, all the truly marvelous features of humanity. And here you are trying to stir all that up again. And again, it's the innocents that are suffering. And based on what? Your own fears and stupidity and whatever else that is going on inside that poor confused mind of yours. Well, sir, I'm here to tell you that it won't happen. The only question is, what am I going to do to stop you?"

The terrified cleric finally found his voice and managed to push out,

"Stop me? You might stop me but there are others."

"Yes, I know. I saw some of them the other day. But you're the biggest trouble maker and therefore the one to deal with first. The others can come later. Now, what to do?" Harry asked as he drew out the ironwood wand he had tucked in this jacket.

The Reverend eyebrows nearly went to his thinning hair line as his eyes went wide at the sight of the wand. He jaws clamped shut.

"Now, I could," Harry began, "simply blast you to nothingness but I think that would create more problems than it would solve, what with all the questions. And quite frankly, I'm not inclined the way your old heroes were in terms of just killing someone. I could also blank your memory but then again that might create issues too," Harry said, as he pointed his wand at the Minister's tea cup that was off to one side of the desk and with a little wave turned it into a toad.

The Reverend Armburster recoiled away from the little creature so violently he crashed his chair into the cabinet behind his desk. Harry shook his head and with another wave of his wand made the tea cup reappear.

"No, much too much of a cliché," Harry said, almost to himself. "Ah, I have it. I believe in free will, sir, and you will have a chance to practice some of your own. You have a choice. You never mention another word about this ridiculous crusade of yours again," Harry said, his voice getting very firm as he leaned forward, the wand pointing directly at the man for emphasis. "You tell your followers that you've been working too hard and your health requires you to take it easy. I suggest you go away somewhere that's quiet and you take some time to consider the trouble you've already caused and what might have happened if you continued on. The alternative is that you make one more wild claim and I come back here and I turn you inside out and hang your guts on the hedges. My people have suffered a lot these past decades and now that it's finally getting good again I'll be damned if I'll stand by while someone like you causes trouble. Have I made myself very clear in this matter, sir?"

The Reverend had a little trouble responding because at the moment he was petrified, without the need for Petrificus Totalis, for as Harry talked his eyes began to 'go dragon' and the temperature in the room had become significantly higher. He was finally able to nod his head.

"Good. For you see, sir, you now have your proof, not that anyone is likely to believe you, any more than they have or haven't already, and the reality of it is much more profound, and for you, much more dangerous than you could have imagined. And rest assured that you have been, and will continue to be, watched. I will find out if you fall back into your old ways. And there will be consequences, if you do. I am those consequences."

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope and tossed it onto the desk.

"I suggest you use that and take that trip I mentioned, and do it soon," he said as he stood up and walked out of the office.

As the Reverend stared at the white envelope he heard a brief sizzle and saw a bit of flare from the reception room. It was nearly a half an hour before he stood up and slowly reached out and picked up the envelope. He walked woodenly out of his tiny office and looked around the room. He froze when his eyes fixed on a blackened splash on the wall above the door where he had, several years before with a touch of whimsy, placed a small sign that someone had given him. It had been the classic silhouette of a witch on a broom with the international symbol of the red circle with a line through it. There was nothing of it left and the wall was heavily scorched. When he was finally able to open the envelope he found a 'donation' of five hundred pounds in old notes inside. When the lay deacon arrived early the next morning he found the office empty and a note on the desk indicating the Reverend was called away on urgent personal business. It was the last anyone who knew him would ever hear from him.


	46. Chapter 46

Professor Potter, Chapter 46

Harry stood along the lower railing of the Hogwarts Quidditch stadium watching a brief practice match. He was observing the performance of the two seekers and would later give them an analysis on how well they did, or did not do. Nearby were other coaches doing likewise for the flyers who shared their specialties. Two days had passed since his meeting with the Reverend Armburster and several consequences had come to pass.

A news report had surfaced questioning the whereabouts of the firebrand cleric, noting he had been a no-show at a planned rally the day before. Secondly a message had arrived late the day before from the Ministry. Harry had notified Milligan about the meeting and the likelihood of needing to follow the Reverend for a time. Milligan had replied that they had had the cleric under observation for some time, that his visit had been noted and also that within an hour of his leaving the minister had been seen hastily leaving the church with two small pieces of luggage.

The second message he had received the previous evening was from the Minister of Magic himself. In polite language that had thanked him for his concern for the magical community, it was suggested that he refrain from taking unilateral action in the future and would he be so kind as to discuss any such issues with the Minister beforehand. Harry had to admit he probably would have reacted in the same fashion when he was still the chief if someone had done the same thing.

He had discussed what had happened in the little church office with Ginny when he got back home. It was obvious that she was happy the man had been dealt with, and without kid gloves, but she was also concerned about Harry, considering his previous issues with anger directed at threats to family and friends. While not particularly apologetic for the actions he had taken he understood that there were problems associated with his tactics.

For the time being he was prepared to shrug them off and concentrate on the tasks at hand. He was developing a not inconsiderable list of things to discuss with the two seekers, both good and not-so-good. It was going to make for an interesting study in opposites. When the match was concluded, the observing coaches made their way back down to the field. A set of chairs had been arranged, one for Harry facing two for the seekers. The two, a witch and a wizard, both of whom Harry knew as soon to be sixth years, walked over and sat down.

"Ok, before we start, do either of you have anything you'd like to say?" Harry asked.

"Um," the young wizard began, "I think we did pretty well, sir. The snitch never disappeared on us. I think with a little more time one of us would have gotten it."

"Would you agree, Miss Wetton?"

"Maybe, but I think it might have taken a while."

"Ok, the bad news first. From what I saw one of you would have been up there all day and the other would most likely have been carried off the field," Harry said, noting the looks of surprise on the two faces. "Miss Wetton, I realize you've only been flying seeker for a year, but you're just too timid up there. You do a fine job of keeping the snitch in sight but you just aren't aggressive enough to take the next step to capture it. Are you having some sort of problem up there?"

The young witch looked away from Harry for a moment and then back. Trying to maintain eye contact she said,

"I don't want to be doing it, sir."

"You don't want to be here?" Harry asked.

"Not that, sir. I don't want to be flying as a seeker," she said, blushing a bit.

"What position would you rather be flying and why aren't you?" he asked.

"I'd rather be flying keeper, sir, but my dad was a really good seeker in his time and he wants me to be one, too."

"I see, Harry," said, before looking at the wizard, "and you, young fellow, have just the opposite problem. You are far too aggressive in the air and you miss chances to snare the snitch as a result. I can certainly appreciate the idea of an enthusiastic flyer, Mr. Smythe, but not at the cost of a potential win. You're up there as a part of a team and they are counting on you. I suggest you try focusing on the snitch and not on what the next fancy maneuver you can make."

The young wizard look chastened but nodded in acknowledgement. Since he was able to devote more time to the camps he made a vow that he would tell the students what they needed to know, not want they wanted to hear. But he was not unsympathetic. He looked back at the witch and said,

"Miss Wetton, as for you, I'm going to remove you from the seeker section and ask Professor Weasley to move you to the keeper group. I will also speak to the captain of your house team. If your father has any problems, have him contact me."

"Yes, sir," the young witch said with visible relief.

Harry then took some time to go over the positives he saw to take the sting out of the criticisms he had made. They were both solid flyers with good control of their brooms and with a little work could take that aspect of their game to the next level. As they walked away Harry watched the young witch in particular, while not exactly ebullient, she did seem to be in a positive mood.

Harry's motives were not entirely based on the idea of making the girl happy. He had seen flyers get hurt because they weren't focused and most flyers that weren't playing the position which they wanted have a very difficult time staying focused. Later that morning he was talking to Bill.

"She needs to be moved over, Bill. She's wasting her time as a seeker but doesn't want to go against her dad. So we'll do it for her. Can you move her over to the keepers?"

"I think we can juggle it. I just wish we had caught it earlier. She'll only have few days at the position," Bill said.

"True but at least she'll be happier. That's worth something."

Bill nodded and then said,

"You're staying up tonight, Harry? I assume that's for the meeting after dinner."

"Yes, the study group is getting together. Professor Vector told me they have the entire translation finished and we want to discuss how to parcel out the information for study. Can you be there?" Harry asked.

"Sure, I haven't had much to do with it lately so I'm interested in how much they've uncovered."

After dinner that evening Harry and Bill walked up to the Room of Requirements which Professor Vector had arranged to provide a secure meeting room. Once they were all together the door sealed itself so no one on the outside could get in or hear through it. Harry saw that Hermione and Angus were in attendance.

"So, it's great to see everyone," Harry began. "From what Professor Vector tells me you've got the translations all completed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your efforts. Without your help I'd most likely be at this to my dying day and would leave lots to be done."

"Harry, my boy," Professor Slughorn interjected, "we can not tell you how much we appreciate having been given the opportunity to participate in this project. It has truly been the work of a lifetime. I'm sure you realize the benefits that have already been reaped with just those few potions. And that plant extract that young Longbottom discovered is proving a great boon in treating chronic conditions. Granted it's no cure, but especially for those with constant pain it provides great relief, and a not insignificant income stream for the work he and Professor Sprout are doing."

"It's true, Harry," the stout Herbologist stated. "It covers nearly half our current expenses."

"That's terrific. Let's hope we find some more like that," Harry said with a smile.

On that high note they went around the table and each team gave a brief synopsis of their translation effort and what hints they had gotten about the content. Harry was a little surprised that Angus took his turn explaining the puzzle that the first section had been.

Since most of the original effort had been based on translating specific sections, it would now be necessary to rearrange the groupings based on the types of information available. After two hours they took a break and helped themselves to some tea and biscuits. Harry caught the young man's eye and waved him over.

"If I may say, Angus, that was a very nice bit of work you did presenting your solution to the first section. To be honest I don't think I've ever heard you string that many words together before."

"Aye, Professor. 'tis the job at the Ministry. I've had tae do much more talkin'," Angus replied.

"But that doesn't happen when Abagail is around, does it?"

Angus smiled and hung his head a little and then looked up at Harry. He was blushing a bit.

"What?" Harry prodded.

"I'd much rather listen tae her talk, Professor. 'tis like a gentle breeze blowin' across the heath."

Harry looked at Angus and thought to himself that beneath it all quite possibly lay the heart of a poet. The meeting resumed and continued for another hour or so. New teaming arrangements were arrived at and new talent was considered for addition to the group. Harry expressed his concern that the true nature of the source of the information be kept closely held. It was agreed that any additional witches or wizards involved in a particular area would be told simply that a recently discovered document had been translated and they would have access only to the newly copied material.

As the meeting was breaking up Professor McGonagall drew Harry aside and told him that Professor Dumbledore wished to talk to him in the Head's office. Harry nodded and walked along with the Headmistress towards her office. Within a few minutes he was once more surrounded by the portraits of so many former Heads.

"Ah, Harry, my boy. It's so very good to see you. I merely wished to confirm with you something I heard while at my spot in the Ministry."

"Yes, sir?"

"There is discussion concerning your interaction with a certain cleric who had rather dark views regarding our community," Dumbledore said, his face passive but with a twinkle in his eye.

"They're talking about that, are they?" Harry asked, sounding a bit dismayed.

"Indeed, Harry. It is being said that you confronted the Reverend Armburster in his office and made a very strong case in favor of his discontinuing his inflammatory rhetoric."

"That's a polite way of putting it, yes, sir. More accurately, I lost my temper and told him to disappear and if he ever made any more trouble I'd turn him inside out and use his guts to decorate some shrubbery."

From various points on the wall came remarks such as 'here here' and 'oh I say, well said, sir'. Some one called down to him. It sounded like an elderly witch. Harry looked up and said,'

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Young sir, 'twould seem you are concerned by your lack of restraint in this episode. I would entreat you not to trouble yourself so. For some of us on this wall, that period in time from which the cleric you confronted draws his inspiration was more than an academic exercise. It was a fact of life, and death. Some would argue with your methods. I would not. Your passion for the safety of our people is well known within this room and we applaud you for it. Take what counsel you may from my words but take comfort from the respect and admiration we in this room hold for you."

A simple 'Thank you' was the best Harry could muster in response.

"Harry," Dumbledore began, "I understand that you have received certain communications from the Ministry regarding this incident. I also understand the potential legal ramifications had they chosen to pursue them. I would simply offer this. I spent enough time on the Wizengamot to know that what is legal is not always right, and the right thing is not always legal. You have always known the right thing to do. You must decide if the results justify the possible consequences."

The former Headmaster regarded his former protégé from the portrait and saw the serious look on Harry's face.

"I know this all may seem terribly unfair, but I believe you above all else realize that life is seldom fair and how you have dealt with that inequity is a mark of your greatness. Yes, yes, dear boy, I know, but it is there nonetheless. I simply ask that you not let this incident dissuade you in the future. A future that we have discussed previously."

Harry remained silent for a few moments and then said,

"Yes, sir, I think I understand."

"I thought you might. I'd suggest we bring this discussion to a close and allow you to get some rest. You've had a long day. Good night, my boy," Dumbledore finished.

"Yes, sir. Good night. And to everyone else, thank you."

There were a chorus of 'fare thee well's and 'good night's. After taking his leave of Professor McGonagall, Harry left the office for his own rooms and as he walked he considered the idea of actions and consequences. A thought also intruded on his contemplations and that was the comment the Reverend made about their being others. Were the 'others' just those who shared the clerics ideas, like those in front of the old woman's house, or were they some form of organized movement, or just more shadows in the disturbed man's mind? That night Harry's sleep came late and was not particularly restful.

When he woke up the next morning he was feeling a little fuzzy. A good breakfast and two cups of tea helped but he did have to try a bit harder to stay focused. After the day's session ended he went straight to the small house on the edge of Hogsmeade and took the floo network home. When he walked into the kitchen he found Nibs and Kreacher hard at it with a dinner that looked more substantial than was necessary for just the family.

"We having company tonight, Kreacher?" he asked.

"Yes, Master Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are here and Mistress Ginny has asked them to stay for dinner. Kreacher believes the one named Angus is also present."

"Alright, thanks, Kreacher."

"Master Harry is most welcome."

Harry made his way to the living room where he thought everyone would be assembled. He only found Ginny and Molly Weasley there. Puzzled he stepped in and asked,

"I understood there were others here, Gin."

"Yes, sweetheart, there are. Dad and the rest are downstairs in the playroom with the boys."

"Oh, ok. Well, let me take a shower and then I'll go down and say hello," he said.

"Yes do that, Harry, but you'll stop here first to give your mum a proper hello," Molly said with a bit of a squint.

"Yes, Mum," Harry replied with a smile.

In less than twenty minutes he was back in the living room, hugging his mother and then his wife. After fulfilling that duty he made his way down to the large playroom in the basement. Due to the significant amount of soundproofing that had been done he was unprepared for the wave of sound that hit him when he opened the door. There was the sound of Snuffles barking, the two boys screeching and yelling, surprisingly some rather loud laughing from Angus and Arthur Weasley trying to call them all to order. Harry stepped into the room and said,

"Snuffles," in that way that always brought the dog to attention. "Boys, quiet down," came next and while it took a bit longer the noise level diminished.

Harry surveyed the scene. At first glance it looked like a wrestling match between Angus and the two brothers, with Snuffles either trying to join in, stop it or simply adding some encouragement. Arthur looked over at Harry and said,

"Sorry, Harry. There was a time when I could control a crowd of youngsters but I must be losing my touch."

"No worries, Dad. It's getting close to dinner so we need to get these two cleaned up," Harry said as he looked at his extremely disheveled sons.

He picked up Albus while Arthur took hold of his grandson James. James looked as if he was about to protest but stopped when Angus said,

"Nae, bairn, noo is not the time."

With the captives in tow, everyone trooped upstairs to get cleaned up for dinner. When Ginny saw the condition of her sons she added a change in clothes for them as well. It wasn't too long before they were all seated around the table in the dining room and Nibs and Dinkle were floating in the various platters and bowls. Arthur and Harry were seated together and as the meal progressed they became more involved in a whispered conversation. Ginny and her mother exchanged a number of glances and finally Molly said,

"Just what is it you two boys are going on about?"

"Oh, sorry, Mum. Dad and I were talking about the car," Harry said apologetically.

"Ah, yes, that. Well, I must admit that this go round has been much better than the Anglia. I've found the drives here quite pleasant. I must say though, Harry, that I never really expected you to be the one to follow in your father's footsteps, so to speak," Molly said.

"Yes, Harry, I have to admit to a little surprise myself," Arthur added.

"Well, as I've said before, I like the driving because it was something I had to learn to do. And I have to admit that I like doing things with my hands instead of with a wand. The work we did downstairs for the strong room and the play room was great and all the things we've done with the cars have been as well. I don't know, I guess maybe there's a sense of satisfaction, you could call it, doing things like that," Harry said.

"I've always thought so, son," Arthur replied.

"Me, too, Harry," Abagail added. "That's why I always like spending time in the kitchen at the Burrow with Gran and making stuff with her. It's a lot of fun."

"All I can say is I'm glad for the extra pair of willing hands," Arthur commented.

Molly nodded and then said,

"And what about your other projects, dear. How are things going with the Tome?"

"Very well, in fact. We had a meeting last night. All of the translating is done and now it's time to see what's in there and what we can do with it. We've shifted some people around and some new ones might be coming in. I think Professors Vector and Babbling will be less involved now that the major decoding has been done, right, Angus?"

"Oh, aye, Professor. Much less o' that tae doo noo."

"What about you, Angus?" Ginny asked.

"Still looks tae be a few puzzles tae solve, but not so much. Lots of work tae doo at the Ministry though. Aye'll be busy, nae worries," the young man replied.

"How about with school, Harry dear?" Molly continued.

"It should be no problems, Mum. Professor McGonagall is back on her feet but it will stay the same as last year. I'm strictly Transfiguration and the sixth year project class. I imagine Bill will ask me to pay a few visits to his classes but those are always fun," Harry explained.

"That sounds wonderful," Molly said and then turned to Abagail. "And what about you, young lady?"

"Things are great, Gran," Abagail said, giving Angus a squeeze on the arm. "I'm getting plenty of work from the builders and the publisher. Those hand painted pins are selling well. It was even suggested I might want to think about setting up a shop of my own if I can find the space in Diagon Alley. And of course the trip to Europe is coming up next week."

Molly had wistful look on her face as she listened to Abagail. Ginny was watching her and asked,

"What's the matter, Mum?"

"Hmm, oh, I wouldn't say anything is the matter as such. Listening to Abagail reminded me of what it was like to hear you and your brothers talk about your plans for moving on and growing up. It looks like I'll get to go through it all over again with my grandchildren," she said, with strange little smile.

"You know, dear, there is a way to avoid it this time around," Arthur said.

"And what would that be, Arthur?"

"Don't ask," he said with a straight face.

The look on Molly's face would have led one to believe it had been suggested that she try to stop the sun from rising in the morning. The others tried in vain to keep from laughing. It was at times like these when Harry thought that Arthur Weasley was possibly the bravest wizard he had ever known.

Just as he had been as a student, Harry was happy when the new school year began. While he enjoyed the extra time he was able to spend with his family, the familiar corridors and rooms of the Hogwarts castle were as welcoming as his own library. Having settled the issue of the Reverend he was entering the new year with a fairly uncluttered mind. As a result his students found him relaxed and smiling.

"Well, good evening, everyone," Harry began. "Welcome to sixth year projects. As I would imagine you are aware that the idea behind this class is for you to engage in independent research in some area of magic that is of particular interest to you. Now, there are several ways that you can select a topic. The first would be that you already have an area of interest that you want to explore more fully. Another is to look at the sheets I have posted here by the door and see what prior students have done and get some ideas that way. Or you can talk to your teachers to see if they have something for you to work on. And as a last resort you might be able to tag on to a project someone else has come up with and needs help."

He scanned the faces of all the sixth year students gathered in the Room of Requirements and seeing that he still had their attention he continued on.

"There are only a few rules to worry about. The project needs to be based on some form of original research. Just looking things up and writing a paper won't do. Secondly, no practical application of anything considered a dark art will be permitted. And lastly, group sizes are limited to a maximum of three, but you can work alone if you prefer. Are there any questions?"

In fact, there were quite a few and he spent the next hour or so answering them. An interesting one was from the two exchange students from Beauxbaton, who were wondering if they could do a project related to the French school itself. Harry responded in the affirmative provided that it met the other requirements. When the questions ran out, Harry brought the meeting to an end.

"Alright, everyone. In two weeks time we'll meet here again and you'll present your idea and turn in your written project proposal. Good luck, and as always, if you have any questions between now and then, come see me. Have a good night."

It was only around half past eight in the evening and Harry was feeling a bit restless so he left the castle by the main door and wandered down the path towards Hagrid's hut and the forest. As he walked he let his senses take in what they could. The evening air was still warmish and the night sounds emanating from beneath the big trees seemed normal. But he thought he could catch just a hint of something else and it was not the predatory creature he had scared off that time he was hiking the trail.

He stopped and tried to clear his mind. He tried to let a bit of the dragon emerge and as his perceptions sharpened the forest went quiet. There was something there. It felt at once faint yet vast. If it had awareness of his passive probing he couldn't tell, but it was something. He would have to make a point of seeing the elder, and soon.

As he neared the hut he could see it was brightly lit and when he was within a dozen or so paces he heard the booming bark of Norby. The door swung open and Hagrid was standing there with a lantern.

"Oh, 'tis ya, Harry. Would ya likes to step in fer a bit o' tea?"

"Sure, Hagrid, that would be great, I was just out walking a bit," Harry replied.

"'tis a fine night fer it. Won't be many left I'm thinkin'. The signs are all there fer a cold winter," Hagrid said as he led Harry into the main room of the hut.

Harry took a seat in one of the oversized chairs where Norby presented himself for a thorough ear scratching. As Harry obliged he said,

"Oh, no, not another one of those winters. I hate it when we get all that snow."

"Aye, 'tis no fun, that's fer sure. But I don't know about snow. That's harder ta tell, but I'm pretty sure about the cold."

Harry nodded. He'd trust Hagrid's weather sense far more than any government weather service. Along those lines Harry thought to ask another question.

"Hagrid, I wonder if you might have noticed anything unusual about the forest?"

"Unusual? How so, Harry?" Hagrid asked.

"I'm not really sure how to describe it. A sense of something, a presence perhaps, an awareness almost. It's kind of hard to describe."

"I can't say that I have, Harry. I'm supposin' the Centaurs would be more attuned to summat like that."

"Hmm, yes," Harry said as he accepted his cup of tea from Hagrid. "I though of that as well. I should take a walk into the forest now that I'm back. I'm pretty sure I don't pay as much attention to my responsibilities to the herd as they think I should."

Hagrid grunted a bit as he settled into his vastly oversized, overstuffed chair. He looked at Harry with his beetle black eyes and said,

"Don't be ta hard on yerself, Harry. 'tis true they'd like ta be seein' more o' ya at the circle but they understand yer a busy wizard. But don't be waitin' ta long ta go see 'em. If'n ya think there's somethin' in there," he said gesturing with his head towards the trees, "they'd be the ones ta ask."

Harry nodded again, sipping his tea and looking out the window into the black shadows under the trees.


	47. Chapter 47

Professor Potter, Chapter 47

Harry wasted no time in approaching the Centaurs about whatever it was he was sensing in or about the forest. Before he left Hagrid's hut he had asked his friend to make the request for a meeting with Zentese, the Elder of the herd. They had agreed, so bright and early Saturday morning he was striding down the path to the clearing where so many meetings had taken place. When he arrived at the clearing he found the elder Centaur as well as Bane and Ronin as well as a small retinue that stood at the far edge of the open ground. Harry smiled to himself a bit at the thought of these meetings being observed by other members of the herd.

"Greetings, Serpent King. We bid you welcome," Zentese said.

"My thanks for your welcome. I am pleased to be amongst the heard once again. And I thank you for your prompt response to my request," Harry replied.

"We always stand ready to assist you, friend Harry Potter, in your endeavors. How may we do so?" Zentese asked.

"The other evening I was feeling a bit restless so I took walk. As I was nearing the forest I got a sense of something. A presence perhaps you'd say. It seemed faint but everywhere. Are you aware of anything like that?"

Zentese looked down at Harry, his expression serious.

"I cannot say that we are, Serpent King. We are, of course, aware of the sounds of the forest and what any variations might tell us. Then, too, we are aware of changes that are driven by the seasons but in my experience what you have described is unknown to us. Do you feel it now being under the trees?" the elder asked.

"Yes, it feels like a thin gauzy veil laying over the whole of the forest. It's just sort of there. It doesn't feel like it's aware or alive, just there," Harry said.

"I am afraid that we cannot be of assistance to you at this time, friend Harry Potter," Zentese said apologetically.

"Well, there's no help for it I suppose. I'll just have to look into it myself. Perhaps I'll walk about a bit today and see if I can make any sense of it," Harry said, looking thoughtful. "I just wonder why now?"

"That's a question that has driven many to distraction, Serpent King. There is a time for everything and everything in it's time. Perhaps it is only now that you have developed the ability to sense whatever it is."

"Then you think there really is something out there? Or in here, I guess."

Zentese laughed a bit and said, "It is a fool who goes against the intuition of the Serpent King."

Harry merely nodded once and then the elder ask some questions about Harry's family. They spent another half an hour or so discussing more mundane matters of the herd. The Centaurs then took their leave of Harry and faded back into the trees. Harry stood in the clearing looking about trying to get a feel for what he was sensing. That's when he made his first 'discovery'. Whatever it was, he was feeling it. Not hearing or seeing anything. It was almost as if it resonated with some part of himself.

He walked around the perimeter of the clearing and there was no variation in intensity of what he was feeling. It remained faint but constant and consistent. He decided to walk further into the forest along the trail leading to the larger meeting circle. He knew there were several smaller paths that led away from the main track so he'd explore those. He was also aware that his activities were being watched. He smiled a bit, thinking that despite the assurance that he was the most formidable creature in the forest the Centaurs were still keeping an eye on him.

As Harry walked he thought that perhaps what he was feeling had something to do with the life of the forest itself. Perhaps a manifestation of some sort of the collective essence of all the living things therein. He stopped and directed his attention to the trees around him. He stepped up to one that was near the edge of the path. He placed his hand on the bark and closed his eyes. Nothing. He could feel the roughness of the bark but that was all.

There was no hint of what was going on beneath the surface. He stepped back and looked at it. What he saw was a tree. A large deciduous tree with gray green bark and a touch of color to the leaves that suggested they would soon be failing to the ground. He let his dragon self emerge a bit and it allowed him to see more of the tree top and the details stood out a bit sharper but nothing else. No aura, no hint of vegetative intellect.

"Ah, well," was all Harry thought to himself.

He continued walking along several different trails and still got no sense of anything different beyond what he first encountered earlier in the week. It was getting close to noon and he decided it was time to give it up for the day and head for home. In short order, he was back at the smaller clearing and he glanced up at the clear blue sky. A thought occurred to him. Perhaps he could cover more ground and get a different perspective on the issue if he searched as the dragon.

He knew he couldn't do it in broad daylight so he'd have to put it off until the first night he was staying over at the castle the following week. With at least the potential for a different search approach, he left the forest feeling not terribly disappointed. Instead of heading directly home he thought he would stop at the Three Broomsticks for lunch and then stop at the WWW store.

Since it was still too early for the students to be unleashed, the village was relatively quiet. Harry made his way to the pub of Madame Rosmerta and stepped inside. A few of the tables were occupied but the innkeeper noticed him right away.

"Professor Potter, what a pleasant surprise. Do come in and right this way."

"Thank you, Madame Rosmerta. I thought I'd stop for some lunch," Harry said as he moved further into the common room.

"Certainly. Sit yourself down right here. What can we get for you, Professor?"

"Steak and kidney pie and a butterbeer, please," Harry ordered.

"We'll have that for you right away."

Harry watched as the innkeeper bustled towards the kitchen. The he took a look around, nodding as he caught the eye of some of the others seated here and there in the room. Madame Rosmerta came back almost immediately with his butterbeer and placed it in front of him.

"The pie will be out shortly, Professor."

"That's fine, Madame Rosmerta. There's no hurry," Harry replied

Harry sipped at the drink and sat thinking about what went on that morning. The sound of the door banging open startled him out of his reverie. He looked to see three roughly dressed wizards make a noisy entrance, laughing and shoving. They went directly to the bar and began pounding on the counter. Harry sat calmly watching them. Madame Rosmerta came out of the kitchen carrying Harry's pie. One of the roughnecks demanded service and the innkeeper begged their indulgence and she'd be right with them.

By now she was nearly to Harry's table and the three roughnecks were turning towards her, apparently to get more vocal and they made eye contact with Harry who continued to watch them calmly from his seat. The three stopped and swallowed whatever it was they were going to say. They quickly and quietly turned and focused their collective attention on the surface of the bar top. Madame Rosmerta looked at them and then said to Harry,

"You're a handy fellow to have around, Professor."

"Glad to be of service, Madame Rosmerta," Harry replied with a smile.

Harry dug into his pie with a certain satisfaction. A short time later the door swung open and two patrollers stood in the doorway surveying the room. They saw the three rural wizards quietly huddled over their drinks at the bar. They appeared puzzled and looked around the dining area and spotted Harry who was looking back at them. They stiffened a bit and then comprehension dawned on their faces. With a nod the senior patroller gave him a salute and gestured for his partner to back out of the doorway.

The rest of Harry's meal was quiet and uninterrupted. He did have to argue over the bill a bit with Madame Rosmerta, with him finally placing his coins on the table and bidding her a pleasant afternoon. He walked down High Street towards Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He wasn't sure that George would be there but as long as he was in town he thought he should check.

Opening the entrance door Harry could see that things were pretty quiet. Behind the counter working with some sheets of parchment was Gregory Mendel, Gabrielle's boyfriend. Harry smiled to himself and wondered how the young man would react to his visit.

"Good afternoon, Gregory. Is George Weasley in today?"

"Uh, Professor Potter. Hello, sir. No, sir. I'm afraid that Mr. Weasley is in London today, sir," Gregory replied.

"Ah, well, that's alright. I was up this way so I thought I'd stop in. So how have you been getting on? Harry asked as he stepped up to the counter.

"Quite well, thank you, sir. I've recently been made the assistant manager here at Hogsmeade."

"Is that so? That's terrific. Congratulations," Harry said.

"Thank you, sir."

"How is Gabrielle doing? I haven't seen her lately," Harry inquired.

"She's doing very well, sir. She's working very diligently in the product development section. We see each other on the weekend."

"And has Mr. Weasley been giving you any more advice regarding Gabi?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Um, no, sir. Actually he's been very gracious about it all, um, since that first time," Gregory said somewhat nervously.

"Yet you still seem a bit edgy. I thought we had settled all of that," Harry said seriously.

"I understand that, sir. It' just that, well, um…"

"The whole 'famous Harry Potter' business?" Harry offered.

"Yes, sir, I suppose so."

Harry sighed. Sometimes his reputation got to be a bit tiresome.

"Do me a favor, Gregory. One of these days have a long talk with Ron Weasley and maybe with my wife, too. Have them tell you about some of the stupid things that I would do on a fairly regular basis. It might help you put things in a better perspective," Harry finished.

"Yes, sir, I'll do that."

"Good. Well, when you see George, tell him I stopped by. Have yourself a good day and give my best to Gabrielle when you see her."

"Yes, sir. Good day, sir," Gregory said.

As Harry left the store and started back toward the little house and the Floo Network, he couldn't help but shake his head. Not yet thirty and he had all manner of people calling him 'sir' and 'professor' wherever he went. What would be going on when he reached sixty? In a short time, Harry was walking through the back door of his home. He was on his way to the library when he was met by Snuffles and James, in that order.

"Hello there, you two. What's going on?"

"Mama's in the living room, Da," James said.

"Thank you, son. Were you there with her?"

"'S, supposed to go right back, with you," James replied.

"Alright, lead the way, young fellow."

With a hand on Snuffles collar James pushed the big dog around and Harry followed behind for the short walk to the living room. When he got there he saw Ginny sitting on the couch, her legs tucked up under her. Albus was sitting on the floor playing with a small pile of toys.

"Hello, sweetheart. How was your little trip? Did you get done what you needed to?"

"Yes and no. I met with the Centaurs but they couldn't help me," Harry replied.

"Can you tell me now what it is you were trying to find out?" Ginny asked.

"Well," Harry said as he sat down in a chair across from his wife, "the other night when I was staying up at school, I was kind of restless so I went for a walk. I wound up on the trail that leads to Hagrid's hut. As I got closer to the forest I thought I sensed, or felt, something."

"In the forest?"

"So it seemed. You remember about the thing I scared away that time I was hiking up there? Well, it wasn't like that. This was just like a thin, all encompassing veil or fog or something, I don't know how to put it. Anyway, I wound up stopping at Hagrid's and he wasn't aware of anything. So he suggested the Centaurs, but they aren't aware of anything like that either," he finished.

"Did they think you were mistaken?" Ginny asked.

"No, it was more like with my peculiar set of abilities that maybe I could feel something no one else could," he said.

"They may have a point, sweetheart. You are a fairly unique fellow, at least I've always thought so," she said with a smile.

Harry laughed.

"So it looks like I have a new mystery to look into."

"Let's hope it's not as dangerous as some of the others," Ginny said, only slightly joking. "Does it seem that way to you? Dangerous, I mean."

"I can't really say, Gin. It doesn't feel good or bad, just there. If I think about it I'd have to say it has, I don't know, an elemental feel to it. But I think I'm just grasping at straws at the moment," he said with a shrug.

"So what's next?" Ginny asked.

"I thought that maybe the next night I'm up there I'm going to take a little flight as my other self. I want to see if it covers that whole forest or if it extends outside of it. Plus the big fellow has some pretty sharp senses, perhaps that will help," he said.

"And a nice moonlight flight wouldn't hurt either would it?" she said with a smile.

"No, it certainly wouldn't."

Their conversation was interrupted by James who climbed up into Harry's lap for some attention. When they were allowed to get back to talking Ginny said,

"Harry, don't forget that Bill and Fleur and the children are coming for dinner tomorrow."

"How could I? I'm looking forward to it."

"Good, I'd suggest you not stay up too late going through your library looking for references to the forest 'thing'. You'll need a good night sleep to deal with Victoire," Ginny said.

"Who said anything about doing that?" Harry asked.

"Harry, please, dear. I know you all too well. You've got a mystery to solve. Where else would you go?"

Harry just shook his head. It was, however, good advice because from the moment Victoire came through the door like a whirlwind she was tied to Harry for nearly the whole afternoon. Harry was able to find some time to talk with Fleur.

"How's your sister doing these days, Fleur?"

"She ees doeeng quite well, 'arry. She enjoys 'er work very much. She also enjoys liveeng on 'er own, which I 'ate, of course. But I must get used to eet, as you say.

"I'm glad to hear that. I get the feeling I'm losing touch with the family," Harry replied.

"'arry, you 'ave so much to do, your own family to care for. And eet ees such a beeg family to keep track of," Fleur pointed out.

"I know that, Fleur. But after every thing we've been through together, you'd think I'd pay more attention."

Fleur reached out and gave Harry a backhanded slap to his upper arm.

"Stop it, 'arry! Even you can not be een more than one place at a time," she said, then stopped with an odd look on her face. "Can you?"

"Not that I'm aware of," he laughed.

Later at the dining room table, Bill and Harry discussed the forest.

"No idea, Harry. I've never heard of anything like that before. I've never spent all that much time in the forest and during my time with the bank all I dealt with were curses, spells and the odd evil creature or two. But what your describing is nothing I've ever experienced," Bill said.

Harry nodded and said with a wry grin,

"I do seem to attract strangeness, don't I?"

To his credit, Harry had managed to avoid the library that weekend. He was waiting to find out what he would discover during his over flight. He planned to wait until later in the evening in hopes that all of students would be inside and concentrating on their studies. It wasn't Halloween and he wasn't due for his visit yet.

It was close to nine o'clock when he left the castle and walked towards the Quidditch stadium. He figured it would be easy enough to make the change on the far side. In a short time he had gone dragon and was winging his way towards the forest. He avoided going near the castle and was quickly over the trees. He didn't even have to try to focus on whatever it was he was looking for. He quite literally felt it in his bones.

He gained altitude to see if it made any difference. It didn't. As long as he was directly over the trees he felt whatever it was. He drifted lower and using his acute vision tried to see if there was any indication of the presence. Again nothing. Harry snorted in frustration. He dropped even lower and flew along the edges of the trees. One thing he was able to discern was that whatever it was, it clearly ended at the tree line. He spent more time crisscrossing the expanse of trees looking for any sign of variation in the intensity of what he was feeling.

Again there was no indication of a source or concentration or any deviation from a smooth, consistent overlay of the forest. Beyond confirming that whatever he was feeling was confined to the forest, the only thing he got out of the night was a good stretch of his wings. It was well after midnight when he climbed into bed and even later before he fell asleep.

Morning came too quickly and Harry was feeling a little fuzzy as he stood in front of his third year Transfiguration students. He was watching as the young witches and wizards worked their way through an exercise. He noticed one of his more reliable students, a wizard from Hufflepuff struggling.

"Mr. Erikson, what seems to be the problem?"

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I didn't sleep very well last night. I had some very strange dreams. I guess I'm not concentrating very well this morning, sir."

"What kind of dream?"

"A dragon flying around, sir. Like it was looking for something or someone," the boy said.

Harry nodded his understanding. A searching dragon hadn't done his sleep much good last night either.


	48. Chapter 48

Professor Potter, Chapter 48

Harry was sitting at his usual spot at the junior end of the Gryffindor table. A pair of young wizards were nearby, playing a game of wizards chess. As he was looking through some homework papers that sixth sense of his let him know someone was approaching. He looked up to see the young Mr. Erikson walking towards him.

"Um, sir, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Mr. Erikson. Please have a seat. What can I do for you?"

"Well, sir, I have a question about what happened the other morning. You know, the trouble I was having with that transfiguration," the boy said.

"As I understood it you were tired and were having trouble concentrating," Harry said.

The boy nodded, then asked,

"How is it done, sir? How do you work magic like that when you're tired and beat up?"

"That's a very good question, Mr. Erikson. Training and experience are a big part of it. If you're at a point where certain things become almost automatic it takes less concentration to make it happen. It can also be a matter of how much natural ability you have. But in the end it's really a matter of your physical and mental toughness. Again, that's something you can build up over time. May I ask why the interest in this?"

"I want to be an Auror, Professor. I've been reading as much as I can about it. Plus all the stuff that's been written about what you've done. When I had those problems the other day it made me wonder about how you deal with that sort of thing," the young wizard said.

"The training you'd get and the experience you'd gain as a patroller would certainly help. But once you get to the advanced levels of DADA, that is the sixth and seventh years, Professor Weasley does do a lot of work in that area," Harry said. "And of course there would be the very advanced training you'd get if you were accepted into the Aurors. For now, concentrate on learning your charms and wand work. Get to the point where it is all second nature and you'll be well on your way. There's no substitute for a lot of hard work."

"Yes, sir. I'll do that. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mr. Erikson. Oh, by the way. Would you mind if I asked you a question or two about the dream you mentioned?"

"No, sir. Go right ahead," the youngster replied.

"Do you often have trouble with dreams disturbing your sleep?" Harry asked.

"Not often, sir. Usually, I have dreams like anyone else. I wake up and sort of remember them but not too well. But every once in a while I'll have one that's very detailed and when I wake up I can remember it very well. But it takes a lot out of me. It's almost like I didn't sleep at all," the boy explained.

"And that's what happened the other day?" Harry asked.

"Yes, sir. It was like I was watching a great big dark colored dragon flying over the forest. It looked like it was searching for something. You know, flying back and forth and at different heights. And it was odd because it was like I've seen that dragon before."

"Have you ever seen a dragon before? A real one, I mean," Harry prompted.

"Just the one that we all see…that's it," the boy exclaimed. "It looked just like the one that comes here at Halloween. I knew it looked familiar," Erikson said.

"Do you think that's what triggered the dream? Were you thinking about Halloween coming up?"

The boy shook his head.

"No, sir, I wouldn't think so. I don't give it much thought."

"Alright. Is there anything else about your dream that you think was interesting or unusual?" Harry asked.

"Well, sir, it was strange but the forest didn't seem right."

"Right?"

"The dragon was perfectly clean and so was the night sky behind it. But the forest itself looked all fuzzy, kind of hazy. I couldn't make out the trees very well at all," the boy said.

"And that's unusual for this kind of dream?" Harry inquired.

"Yes, sir. Usually when I have a dream like this everything is very clear, very detailed."

"I see. Well, I think that's enough of that for now. But if you think of anything else or if you have any similar dreams would you please let me know. We try to keep track of things of this nature."

"Yes, sir," Erikson said as he stood up.

As Harry watched the youngster walking away he considered what he had heard. It was fairly obvious the boy saw, at least in his dream, Harry flying over the forest. What he found interesting was the young wizard's observation that his vision of the forest was so distorted. He wondered if there was any connection with what he was sensing. He thought it was time to ask more questions. The following evening when he was home he went into the library after dinner and sat in his favorite chair.

"Mum?"

He waited for a few moments and then tried again.

"Mum? Are you there?"

This time a figure coalesced out of the air to stand in front of him. Lily smiled at her son and said,

"Hello, dear."

"Hello, Mum. We haven't seen you in quite a while. At least I haven't," Harry said.

"I know, my dear. It was thought that perhaps I shouldn't be about so much," she replied.

"Who said that?" Harry asked.

"Oh, names aren't important, dear."

"Well, whoever it was, tell them for me, us, that you are more than welcome here at anytime and we love having the chance to talk to you," Harry said seriously.

"Thank you for that, Harry," she said, smiling widely. "So, my dear, were you just curious as to where I've been?"

"Well, partly. But I also need your help. I need to speak with Merlin and perhaps Professor Dumbledore. I was hoping you might ask them to meet me in that place where we first met."

"I'll certainly ask them. Just a moment," she said as her image seemed to blur and waver.

When she came back into focus she smiled and said,

"They both said they would be happy to talk to you, Harry. Just call them when you get to that place and they'll respond."

"Thanks, mum," Harry replied, then said, "I know this sounds kind of silly but how are you getting on?"

"It's not silly at all, dear. I'm doing quite well as is your father. You'll have a chance to see how Merlin and Dumbledore are fairing as well."

"What about Fred Weasley?" Harry asked.

"We don't see him anymore, Harry. He's completed his journey," Lily said solemnly.

Harry thought about this for a moment and then looked at his mother in alarm.

"But what about the rest of you? Why are you still around?"

Lily smiled faintly at her son and said,

"I would think that that would be obvious, Harry dear."

Harry looked at her and then said quietly,

"Because of me?"

"Of course. We've put off our own journeys to be here for you. No one should have to bear such burdens without as much support as can be found. We will all make that journey together. And know that not one of us are in a hurry to start," she explained.

Harry couldn't think of anything to say. Lily stepped forward and gestured for Harry to stand up. When he did she wrapped him in an ethereal embrace and for all its lack of physical substance it still conveyed a soothing warmth and an all encompassing love. Harry knew that when the time came to start that final journey he would do so without fear. But he too was willing to postpone it for as long as possible. Lily whispered,

"See you again soon, dearheart."

With that she faded away having never released her hold. The feeling would linger for hours. As he sat back down he felt relaxed and content and he was able to easily slip into that semi-doze that brought him to that place between realities. He could see the gray swirling mist and he said,

"Sirs? Merlin? Professor?"

Out of the mist strode the two wizards, looking so different yet strikingly similar. They were both smiling.

"Harry, my boy. It is good to see you again," Dumbledore began.

"As it is for me, also, young Harry," Merlin added.

"Thank you, sirs, for meeting with me."

"Not at all, Harry. It is our pleasure," Dumbledore began.

"And our purpose," Merlin finished with a nod.

Harry merely nodded in return.

"So, my boy, how may we be of service?" Dumbledore inquired.

"It seems I've stumbled across a mystery and I need some help. It has to do with the Dark Forest," Harry replied.

"Well that strikes close to home, Harry," Dumbledore said, "please continue."

Harry explained what he had observed and felt, and his inability to discover anything of substance. He included what he found out about the Erikson boy's dream. Both wizards listened to Harry's words but added none of their own. When he was finished the two elderly spirits regarded each other and Dumbledore gestured for Merlin to go ahead.

"Well, well, young Harry. You do present us with an interesting puzzle. As to a definitive answer, that I cannot provide. My experience with that particular wood is nearly nonexistent. I do know that what you call the Dark or Forbidden Forest is quite possibly the oldest remaining segment of the once vast primeval forest that covered so much of the isle. When I first arrived here all those centuries ago, it was ancient. Much in the way of magic has been performed there by many different peoples and creatures. I agree with the likelihood that you alone are able to feel this phenomenon based on your singular gifts and skills. That it resonates so strongly with your dragon self suggests something truly ancient. Possibly beyond the age of men."

"As for myself, Harry," Dumbledore began. "I've spent sometime in the forest. Often in discussion with the Centuars. But sometimes it was to simply wander aimlessly, to see what there was to see. While I have not felt what you have, I can tell you I have seen evidence of past practices, strange formations of rock and trees. The circle of the Centaurs is not the result of their efforts or by random coincidence. While I have never seen it, what little I was able to glean in my time was that their settlement, if we can call it that, existed long before they arrived in the forest. What you are feeling may be a residue of that past activity or may be more directly connected to it. More than that I cannot say. I would suggest more exploration and we would be glad to discuss what you find."

Harry smiled wryly. Then he looked at his mentor and his benefactor.

"I'm beginning to think, sirs, that if someone were able to give me a definite answer about one of these mysteries I get involved with, the world might actually come to an end," he said with a laugh.

Both wizard spirits laughed as well.

"I'll see what I can do about exploring the forest and I most certainly will contact you if I find anything interesting."

"Fare thee well, young Harry."

"Good bye for now, dear boy."

"Good night, sirs."

With that the two elderly wizards turned and walked back into the mists. Harry had two options. He could wake up of he could slip deeper into sleep. He opted for the latter. He awoke several hours later with a blanket spread over his lap and legs. He blinked and looked around, his eyes focusing on the back of a certain redhead sitting at the desk at the far end of the room.

"Hello, luv. Is this your doing?"

Ginny turned in the chair and smiled back at him.

"Yes. You looked very peaceful and I thought you could use the sleep. Were you able to find anything out?"

"Nothing definitive. Neither of them knew of anything definite based on my description but suggested it was likely to be something very old. Also, that I needed to do some exploration. I'm wondering if I should see if I could enlist the aid of some of the sixth year project students and Hagrid."

"What about the Centaurs?"

"I get the feeling that they don't range through the whole forest. There was that whole area that Aragog's spiders used to control but they're killing themselves off now that he's gone. And I think there are other areas they avoid but I haven't really asked about. I suppose I should."

"Just make sure you take a lot of notes. I'll need them for my journal," she said smiling sweetly.

Harry just laughed. He had the opportunity to solicit help the following evening as it was time for another session of the project class. He was going to hear their preliminary ideas for projects. It appeared that the faculty in general were starting to get on board with the whole idea as more students were becoming involved in teacher sponsored projects.

One three person team was going to work with Professor Sprout on a plant hybridization project. Professor Vector had two students who were going to investigate one of the numerology puzzles discovered in the translated Tome. Professor Slughorn had secured a team to investigate the source of ingredients that appeared in some of the potion formulas found in the Tome but didn't seem to have a modern day equivalent. There were some students who were still struggling to come up with a topic. Harry decided it was time to make his proposal.

"Alright, good job so far. Now, for those of you who are still looking for something I may have an idea for you to consider. As you may know, I sometimes find myself involved with, shall we say, unusual magical phenomenon."

This got a laugh from the assembled sixth years.

"I find myself in this position once again. This time it involves the Dark Forest. A couple of weeks ago I became aware of something, shall we say, unusual about it and I'm interested in investigating it. I need some help. Now this will be more of a field study than an academic exercise. It will be quite demanding physically, involving a lot of trekking in the forest and a lot of it will likely be during the colder months. You'll also need to be able to handle unusual situations so I'll have to insist that you be pursuing NEWTs in Charms and or Defense Against the Dark Arts. If you're interested, see me after we finish here tonight."

A short while later Harry dismissed the students and found that there remained a witch and two wizards. Harry gestured for them to move up to the front of the rooms. Harry leaned on the edge of the table that faced the chairs where the sixth years had been sitting.

"Mr. Huddleford, Mr. Smithson, Ms. Quonset. Alright, let's start with the basics. Your NEWTs?"

The young wizard Huddleford began,

"Charms and DADA, sir."

"The same, sir," Smithson added.

Ms Quonset said, "Charms."

"Alright, great, now what about the outdoor part of it?" Harry asked.

"Well, sir," the young witch continued, "I'm from a muggle family. We used to do a lot of camping, hiking, all that sort of thing. We still take a couple of trips each summer."

"I've been doing a lot of conditioning work to try to improve my Quidditch, sir," Huddleford said. "Shouldn't be an issue."

Smithson laughed a bit when he said,

"My dad's a muggle, sir. He's also a Royal Marine. No worries here, sir. I've spent lots of time outdoors in all kinds of weather. And he'd be very happy with me doing this kind of field work."

"That all sounds very promising. I need to discuss this a bit more with the Centaurs. To get you started take a look at these," Harry said, handing them a slip of parchment with book titles written on it. "We'll meet Monday evening to plan the first trip."

"Yes, sir," they chorused.

Harry watched the three students walk out of the room.

"Royal Marines?" he thought to himself, shaking his head.

Harry was in a good mood when he left for home. The mystery was far from solved but he had a plan and he was starting to execute and for now that was enough. The next morning he caught Hagrid up coming out of the Great Hall after breakfast. He asked Hagrid to pass on his request for a meeting with the Elder for the following Monday afternoon.

Satisfied that he had put everything he needed into motion he was looking forward to a quiet weekend. As he walked into the kitchen after his trip via the Floo Network he made it about halfway across the room when he was hit by a high speed, dark haired projectile. When he caught his breath he asked,

"Abagail? You're home already?"

"Yes," came her voice from the vicinity of his chest. "We thought we had seen enough and wanted to come home."

Harry shared a very tight hug with the tiny witch and then managed to peel her back a bit. He looked down into her smiling face.

"Was it a good trip though? Did you have fun?"

"It was great, Harry. We really enjoyed it but we just got to a point where we wanted to come home. I got here right before lunch. Ginny and I have been talking all afternoon," she said with her breathy vice. "Would you mind if we talked in private for a few minutes?"

"Of course, little one. We can use the library."

"Uh uh. We'd have to go past the living room and Ginny is still there."

"Alright, um, I guess we can go into my office, such as it is. It's down the other way. Come on," Harry said.

Abagail took hold of his hand with both of hers and walked with him to the room he had only used a handful of times. When they entered, Harry purposely kept from looking at his portrait. Even now just thinking about it made him uneasy. Abagail looked at her work and smiled a little. The office wasn't that large but it contained a desk and several chairs. Harry waved her into one as he closed the door. He took the other one on the same side of the desk and looked at the girl, or more correctly young woman, and said,

"Alright. We have our privacy. What would you like to talk about?"

"I want to ask you something, Harry. It's going to sound silly, ridiculous, and most likely childish but I need to do it anyway," she said seriously.

"Go ahead."

Abagail took a deep breath and then said,

"Harry, I need you to promise me that you won't ever leave."

"What? The room, the house?" he asked, confused.

"No, me. You have to promise me that you'll never leave me," she said somberly.

"Why would you think that I would ever leave you? How could I? This is our home, your home, for as long as you want," he said. "What would make you think you needed to ask for such a promise?"

She took a deep shuddering breath and let it out. She looked at Harry with those big dark bottomless eyes that had that haunted look Harry had seemed before.

"When Angus and I were on the continent, something was bothering me," she began. "We were having fun and enjoying being together but something wasn't right. After a few days, I realized what it was. I wasn't going to be seeing you at any point during the day. And it was going to be like that day after day," she said and paused a bit before adding, "and after a few days the dream came back."

"What dream?"

"The dream I used to have when I was little," she replied.

The rest came out unevenly with pauses and a few false starts.

"The dream about the crash, about being alone. And it got worse. It started to include what my life would have been like if you hadn't been there in front of that class all those years ago. The thought of being alone still terrifies me, Harry. Nobody understands that better than you do. Knowing that and knowing you're around is what keeps that terror at bay. That's why you have to promise me you'll always be there when I need you. Just like you've always been. I can't bear to think of what it would be like if you weren't. You have to promise me that you won't go first, you know, die."

As shocked as Harry was by all this he knew he had to stay calm for the girl's sake. It was evident that despite her maturity she was still, in some corner of her mind, that frightened little girl he had had to reassure on several occasions. He reached across to take her hand. He could feel her trembling. He gave her a tug and pulled her up on to his lap and wrapped her in both arms. He immediately thought back to those other times when he held her like this. That first day of class or when he was in the hospital ward. There was the time in the Head's outer office and then again in his library after the Dursley's visit. He squeezed her tighter and rested his cheek on her head and said,

"I promise that no matter where, no matter how, no matter when, I will always be there for you. Do you believe that?"

He could feel her nod and then heard her say,

"Yes, Harry. If you say it, I believe it. I know this isn't very rational, but the fear doesn't live where I'm rational."

Harry continued to hold her and his eyes drifted up to his portrait. What should have been an innocuous rendering appeared to many as something majestic. But to him it was disturbing. In a flash of insight he realized why that was. To him that majesty was little more than thinly veiled arrogance, a barely contained contempt for anyone else. Where others saw the great and famous Harry Potter he saw Tom Riddle at the beginning of his career. He saw what he railed about at Fleur in the beautiful garden at Beauxbaton and what he had confided to Dr. Parsons at St. Mungo's. It was that first dreaded step down a path leading to a life devastated by loneliness staring at him with his own green eyes.

It would take some time before the two orphans would finally relinquish their hold on each other. It would, in fact, take a lifetime.


	49. Chapter 49

Professor Potter, Chapter 49

"Good morning, family. How is everyone this morning?" Abagail said as she breezed into the kitchen.

"Well, someone is in a very good mood aren't they," Ginny said from the table where she was helping Albus with his breakfast.

"Yes, I am. One of the nice things about being away on a trip is coming home again," the little witch replied as she gave mother and son a joint hug.

"Did you sleep well?" Harry asked from the other side of the table where he sat next to James.

"Yes, I did. Very soundly and no dreams," she replied with a little smile.

After giving Ginny and Albus their hugs she hurried around to the other side of the table where James sat with his arms held out. She gave the little boy a big squeeze which set him off to laughing. Then she stepped sideways and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck from behind and put her face against his.

"And good morning to you, little one," Harry said.

"Thank you, Harry, for everything," she said and kissed him on the cheek.

Ginny watched this with raised eyebrows but said nothing. Abagail released her grip on Harry's neck and dropped into the chair at his other side, helping herself to tea and some toast.

"So, sweetheart, now that your home, what plans do you have, if any?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I have some orders to fill for those hand painted pins and pendants. And I have some sketches to make for another children's book. Seems the author is having some trouble visualizing what he wants. I guess he's all about words and not much with pictures. And if you've no objections, I've asked Angus over for dinner."

"No problems with that at all. You know he's always welcome," Ginny said, "but not until dinner?"

"He was heading up to Hogwarts this morning to see Professor Vector. Angus is still working on his Snitch theory. He wants to go over some things with the Professor. He was talking more about those chaotic maths or whatever while we were on our trip," Abagail replied.

"I like to think of myself as a reasonably intelligent fellow," Harry began, "but I can't even begin to imagine what goes on inside that boy's head."

"I know what you mean, Harry. One night after we had finished eating he started to explain to me what his idea was. I was able to stay with him for the first couple of minutes but after that," Abagail shook her head, "I was just along for the ride. But it was so much fun to listen to him talking about something he was so interested in."

"I imagine he spent some time listening to you talk about the art you saw," Harry said.

"Oh, just a little," the girl said with an airy laugh. "But I really am glad to be home. My own bed felt so good last night."

Breakfast continued with more details of what the young couple had seen and done, Abagail's ideas for expanding the line of her hand painted jewelry and the practicality of opening her own shop or gallery.

"I'm not so sure about that part of it," she said. "I'm not sure I'd be so good at the running of the shop. Plus it might distract me from doing the actual art. I'll have to think about it a lot."

"Well, you certainly have time to consider it, sweetheart," Ginny said. "And you should probably talk to George and Ron about what it took them to get the stores up and running. That might give you an idea what you'd be facing."

"Good idea."

It was later in the day when Ginny had a chance to ask Harry about the cryptic, at least to her, 'thank you' he had received from Abagail. By the time Harry was finished explaining what had occurred, her expression was particularly somber.

"I don't know, Harry. I just can't imagine how the two of you keep from going completely off the deep end having to deal with that sort of business. To have it there in your heads all the time. The memories and the fears."

"Would you like me to show you what keeps that from happening?" he asked mildly.

"Yes, I'd really like to know," she replied.

They were sitting in the living room. Harry stood up and offered her his hand and said,

"Close your eyes."

She gave him a 'look' and then did as he asked. Then he took her hand and moved her to a different part of the room. Then he said,

"Now, when you open your eyes you'll see exactly what keeps both of us from being overwhelmed by our fears and memories. Go ahead and open them."

When Ginny did she saw her own reflection staring back at her in the mirror. The tears began to flow almost immediately and she turned and took the few steps to close the distance between herself and her husband. They stood there holding on to each other for a long moment and then she tilted her head back and offered him a trembling smile but said nothing. There was no need.

The following Monday afternoon found Harry hastening down the path leading to Hagrid's hut and the path that led into the forest. That morning his friend had told him the Centaurs would gladly meet him at the clearing. When he arrived at the spot he found the Elder, along with Bane and Ronin and the usual dozen or so 'observers'.

"Hail, Serpent King. It is glad we are to see you here."

"Hail and well met, Elder. I am pleased to be here and thank you for responding so quickly to my request," Harry replied.

"We are pleased to be able to do so. How may we be of assistance?"

"Elder, I've decided that I am going to investigate more fully this presence that I have become aware of here in the forest. After speaking with you and Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore, it appears that only a thorough search of the forest has any hopes of uncovering what this thing might be. I've enlisted the aid of several students who will use their participation to complete one of their requirements for graduation."

The Elder merely nodded his understanding.

"However, I realize of course that the herd occupies a significant portion of the forest and I would not wish to intrude on those areas that the herd holds sacrosanct in regards to humans. On the other hand there maybe information to be gained knowing what might be within those bounds. Therefore I would like to make a proposal."

"Your consideration in this regard," Zentese began, "is commendable and very much appreciated, Friend Harry Potter. Please make your proposal."

"I would ask if someone from the herd who is interested in this sort of thing be available to review what we find in other parts of the forest to confirm whether or not similar artifacts or phenomenon exist within your territory. We plan to map, take extensive notes and perhaps collect samples if possible that would be available to this person or persons."

Zentese's expression remained passive but he did nod a time or two as Harry spoke. Then he said,

"On the surface this seems to be a workable arrangement. I would wish, however, to add a restriction."

"Yes?"

"In the event that what you wish confirmed would reveal some aspect of our society that we do not wish to be known to the world of humans, it will be discussed with you, and you alone, and will not be included in any greater compendium of the findings produced by this exploration," Zentese said.

Now it was Harry's turn to nod. Then he smiled up at the elder Centaur and said,

"Yes, Elder, I believe that is quite acceptable and very generous."

With a single nod the Elder looked back over his shoulder at those assembled along the far edge of the clearing and called,

"Morgotta, forward please."

A female Centaur separated from her companions and walked forward to join the three that stood before Harry. She was fractionally shorter than the three males but not by much. She had broad shoulders and muscular arms. As she looked at Harry she gave a short bow of the head and said,

"Serpent King, I am honored to meet you."

"As am I to meet you, Morgotta."

"Friend Harry Potter," Zentese began, "Morgotta happens to be one as you have described. You might refer to her as a lore master. She knows all there is to know about the world of the herd and a great deal about the land we claim as our own. If any could rightly provide the information you require, it is she."

"I would be pleased and honored to assist you, Serpent King, in this endeavour," she said and then after a thoughtful look continued. "If it is thought wise and of help, I would be willing to accompany you and your students on those journeys that cover the areas that bound our territory. I have some familiarity with those as well."

"Elder?" Harry said, looking back to Zentese.

"There is no objection, Serpent King."

"Your help in this matter is very much appreciated, Morgotta. I am grateful," Harry said looking at the female Centaur and then a thought occurred and his expression changed.

"There is some problem, Serpent King?" she asked, concern clear in her voice.

"I'm afraid a thought occurred to me that may create a difficulty, friend Morgotta. Two of the students that will be assisting me are young males. I had a sudden concern about their close association with a female, I mean, it's just that…" Harry began to fumble for the words and his colored a bit.

Morgotta smiled and at least one of the males snorted.

"Your concern is noted and not unjustified, Serpent King," Morgotta said. "While we don't associate with humans to any great extent, we are familiar with the views your people hold regarding our lack of, how would you say, costume and the impact that has on some of you. Rest assured on those occasions I will take the necessary steps to spare your young ones any distraction."

"Thank you for your understanding and forbearance, Morgotta," Harry replied.

"Friend Harry Potter," Ronin began. "I would suggest you return here on the morrow if you can, with the three young ones. There are matters of journeying through the forest that I would wish to discuss with you that may make your efforts less difficult."

"Thank you, Ronin, we will do so."

As Harry walked away from the forest a short while later he had to laugh to himself. He had to admit he probably didn't do his standing with the herd much good with his handling of the issue of a bare chested female Centaur associating with male students but he shuddered at the possible repercussions if he hadn't addressed it. He left messages with the three students to meet him in the lobby the following afternoon. He would need to speak to them before any meeting took place.

"Alright," Harry began as he faced the three sixth years, "we have a new development for our project and it's going to require some special effort on your part. The Centaurs have been gracious enough to offer their help. The first part of that offer will take place today. Ronin, who is a friend of mine, will be meeting with us to discuss some issues involved with moving about inside the forest. In addition, Morgotta, who is very knowledgeable about that part of the forest that is their home will be consulting with us as well as accompanying us on some of our treks."

This first part was delivered with a rather neutral expression but it then got more serious.

"I cannot stress enough how important it is that you conduct yourselves properly. Centaurs are very intelligent and very proud. They see more than they reveal and we will be venturing into their home territory. You are to be respectful and courteous. When you speak to them or if they are speaking to you, you will maintain eye contact. Under no circumstances are you to make the mistake that many wizards and witches do and that is to assume that they are somehow lesser beings and to be treated with condescension. They, and I," he said with heavy emphasis on the 'I' "will take it very badly. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes, sir," the three chorused.

"Very good. Let's be on our way."

Harry led the three students out of the castle and down the path to the forest. As they passed by Hagrid's they could see him in the paddock tending to several Hippogriffs. He gave the group a wave which was returned. As they passed in under the trees Harry could sense a touch of nervousness and he had to smile a bit, remembering his first times into the forest and how scary it had been. Hopefully, nothing on the order of Voldemort was waiting for them somewhere. When they reached the clearing they found Ronin waiting for them.

"Hail, Serpent King."

"Hail and well met, Friend Ronin. My thanks for your being here today," Harry replied.

"I am pleased to do so, Friend Harry Potter," the Centaur said, then turned his attention to the three students. "These would be your assistants in this endeavour, then."

"Yes, they are. Allow me to introduce Michael Huddleford, William Smithson and Amanda Quonset, my students. Students, this is Ronin, an important member of the herd, but more significantly, my friend," Harry offered.

"Welcome to the forest, young humans. It is not uncommon to see a few of your fellows each year, usually on some act of mischief. I trust that your association with Friend Harry Potter has impressed upon you that this," the Centaur said, gesturing with his arm to their surroundings, "is the home of the Centaurs and that you will be expected to treat it as such."

"Yes, sir," the three chorused.

Harry was watching his students to see how they reacted to the intimidating presence of his old friend. As he had hoped they were respectful and were maintaining eye contact but Amanda Quonset was showing signs of definite nervousness bordering on fear. It did not go unnoticed by Ronin.

"You appear distressed by my presence, young human."

"I-I am sorry. I didn't expect this," the girl said.

"What is the problem, Ms. Quonset?" Harry asked quietly.

"I know it's quite ridiculous, sir," who seemed relieved to be able to look away to speak with Harry, "but I've always been a little scared of big people. Please don't say anything but it took weeks before I could get up the nerve to speak to Professor Hagrid when I was a first year."

"Friend Harry Potter," Ronin began.

"Yes, Ronin?"

"If you would allow me."

Harry looked at his friend with a tilt of his head.

"Young human, please come with me," the Centaur said in his deep voice and then turned and walked to the far side of the clearing.

The young witch looked nervously at Harry and he nodded for her to follow. She walked slowly to where Ronin stood. Harry and the two youngsters heard nothing beyond the low murmurings of Ronin. Any response from the girl was inaudible. After a moment they saw the Centaur fold his legs beneath him, bringing his face more on a level with the girl's. After a bit more Smithson turned to Harry and asked,

"What's going on, sir?"

"Ronin is considered among the very wisest of his generation. That is part of the reason that he is one of the few Centaurs that regularly meet with humans. Me in particular. I imagine he is trying to set Ms. Quonset at ease and let her come to realize she has no need to be nervous," Harry said.

"You've know the Centaurs long then, sir?"

"I met Firenze, the Divination professor, during my first year," Harry said, choosing not to reveal the circumstances of that meeting.

In total it took perhaps twenty minutes before Ronin arose and walked with the young witch back to where Harry and the two boys stood. The Centaur looked at Harry and said,

"I believe we have the situation in hand, Friend Harry Potter. We may proceed with the reason for our meeting here."

Harry looked at the girl and she gave him a shy smile and a nod. Harry knew well enough that where Centaurs are concerned you didn't pry into things that they chose not to reveal. In fact, the only ones to ever know what was spoken between the two were, in fact, Ronin and Amanda Quonset.

"It is your intention, Serpent King, to investigate as much of the forest as you can reach, is that not true?"

"Yes, Ronin. With the exception of those areas claimed as your own, I hope to journey through the entirety of the forest as best we can," Harry replied.

"Then there is much to discuss, so let us begin."

What followed was mostly Ronin talking, with Harry asking some questions and the students responding if either of their elders asked them a question. Issues of terrain, vegetation and creatures that made the forest home were covered. Huddleford had pulled out a piece of folded parchment and was attempting to take some notes with a jar of ink and a quill pen. Harry thought he was going to have to make sure suitable notebooks and pens were made available during their treks. Ronin apparently had done some wandering of his own and he described some of the things that Dumbledore had discussed. He specifically warned them about being in the deep forest after nightfall for the darkness magnified the difficulties. Harry could only nod, remembering what the forest at night was like for him.

The sun was setting, in fact, by the time he and his three students emerged from the forest and headed back to the castle. When they returned to the lobby he gave a few instructions before releasing them to their dinner.

"Review the notes you took and what we've been talking about and draft up a plan for how you think it best we approach our searches. Include where we should start, how we should approach the various issues Ronin discussed and what equipment, if any, we should bring with us. We'll discuss it Thursday evening. Any last questions?"

"Um, sir, if it's not out of keeping, what was that about the Centaur calling you Serpent King?" Smithson asked.

"Oh, that," Harry said with a laugh. "The Centaurs have called me that for so long I'd not thought it would sound strange to you. It refers to my run in with several snakes or snake like creatures in the past. Since I'm still here and they aren't the Centaurs gave me that title. They are basically a warrior society and put a lot of store in such things. In its way it is a great honor but I find the use of Friend Harry Potter to be of greater meaning. I'd appreciate it if you kept that information to yourselves. In fact, it would be a good idea to keep what you learn about the Centaurs to yourselves until we've had a chance to discuss it further."

Of course Harry was shading the truth a great deal but it was an explanation that sufficed since by now his students were at least aware of the nature of Tom Riddle at the end and of course his run in with the first dragon was public knowledge.

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Alright, anything else? No? Off you go, then."

When they met again two days later the students produced a surprisingly detailed plan taking into account the anticipated pace they expected to be able to maintain, the amount of daylight available and some allowance made for rest stops and investigating anything they might find. Harry was suitably impressed and said so. That evening at dinner he asked Hagrid if he could send a message letting Morgotta know they were going to make their first foray into the forest that Saturday around dawn and if she was interested they would meet her in the clearing.

Apparently she was interested because just after dawn on that chilly Saturday morning when Harry and his three assistants appeared in the clearing, Morgotta was waiting for them. Harry was relieved to see that she had taken his concerns to heart and was wearing a jacket of sorts with sleeves that reached to her elbows and laced up the front. However, the fact that it ended about a hand span above her waist and a least as far below her neck and appeared more like a second skin was likely to still prove a distraction to the boys.

"Well met, Morgotta. It is good of you to join us this morning," Harry said by way of greeting.

"Hail to you and your companions, Serpent King. I am pleased to be here and appreciate the opportunity. May I know the names of these young humans?" she asked with a slight nod to the three.

"Certainly. May I present Michael Huddleford, William Smithson and Amanda Quonset? And this," he gestured to the Centaur, "is Morgotta."

"Hail and well met, young ones. I look forward to a successful association," the Centaur said.

"Hello."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Hello."

The Centaur appeared to smile just the slightest bit and then turned to Harry.

"Serpent King, I would suggest that you take the lead and I will follow along behind. The forest has been relatively quiet of late but it would be prudent none the less."

"I agree. And I see you've come prepared for trouble," Harry said, acknowledging the bow and quiver Morgotta carried, along with a satchel of sorts hung over one shoulder.

She merely nodded and gestured for Harry to take the lead. Each of the human walkers was equipped with a small rucksack, walking stick and had their wands tucked into their belts. They wore regular jackets since the forest was notoriously unkind to wizard robes. Harry intended to set out along the paths he walked that first time he went hiking but would turn deeper into the forest. They had walked for perhaps a quarter hour of so when Morgotta called to Harry from the rear of the little column.

"Friend Harry Potter, one is curious to know how you intend to keep your bearings within the forest."

"I've always had a pretty good sense of direction, Morgotta, and I figured you would know this area pretty well. If we do get lost, I'll simply cheat." Harry called back.

"Cheat?"

"We'll find a more open spot and I'll levitate one of these three up above the trees to have a look around," he said.

The three students looked startled and turned to see the look on the Centaur's face. While still serious it contained a touch of wry humor and she replied,

"I see that there are advantages to being a wizard."

As they walked the students took notes on the trails they used, the directions they travelled and the apparent distances. Smithson carried a compass and kept track of their bearings. Huddleston took note of his paces and Quonset calculated the distance. Several times that morning they stopped to look at what appeared to be odd rock formations that showed signs of some working by tools. Whose hands and what manner of creature they might have been was not apparent. Morgotta confirmed that similar rocks appeared in various locations and arrangements around the area reserved for the Centaurs.

Around midday they stopped in an open space that was still overhung with trees but allowed some space to sit or stretch out. The four humans ate lunch from supplies Harry had arranged for from the kitchen elves. It took him a little persuading that he didn't need enough to supply a full battalion on a week's long march but there was still more than enough. When Amanda Quonset stirred up the courage to offer Morgotta something from her rations the Centaur declined saying,

"Your generosity is much appreciated but we Centaur's find food prepared for human tastes to be less than agreeable. I have come prepared."

As this conversation was taking place the two young wizards were having a difficult time keeping their eyes from fixing on the Centaur. She was, by any standard, attractive. Her long hair was a light brown that reached nearly to her waist. Her eyes were hazel colored and penetrating. Her voice had a rich timbre and was pitched low. As she reached for more of what she was eating from her satchel her vision crossed that of the two boys and she arched one eyebrow questioningly. The two wizards quickly found their lunches very interesting but the faint coloring of their cheeks was evident. Morgotta looked back at the young witch who had seen the exchange and the girl just rolled her eyes and shook her head a bit in a gesture of sisterhood that transcended any boundary.

When the trek resumed, the young witch fell in behind the two boys and a low murmured conversation took place for a good part of the remainder of the afternoon. Harry was hearing his own murmurs. In fact since he had entered the forest he was once again subject to the faint magical murmur or hiss or whatever it was he was picking up. The closest he could come to describe it was similar to a low buzzing that was just barely audible but that it had nothing to do with his hearing. On several occasions while they were walking he would let a bit of the dragon emerge and the feeling would become more pronounced and would feel more internal than opposed to something one of his normal senses was picking up. He couldn't use this technique often or for long because as the dragon emerged the forest got very quiet. He didn't want the others to notice.

Someone had noticed, however. When the group had stopped to take a break during the afternoon Morgotta came to stand alongside Harry and spoke to him in low tones.

"Serpent King, I have noticed something odd occurring during the course of our journey," she said.

"Something dangerous?" Harry asked.

"I do not know. Several times the forest became unnaturally quiet. It was almost as if the denizens had become afraid."

"Ah, yes. I'm afraid I'm responsible for that," he said with a crooked smile.

"You?"

"You are of course familiar with the reason I am called Serpent King, I assume."

"Certainly. All the herd knows of your concealed self."

"Well, it is possible for me to allow a small part of that other self to emerge. I find it helps to sharpen my perceptions of my surroundings. Unfortunately, it seems that my surroundings are also able to perceive me," he explained.

The Centaur nodded in understanding.

"That would explain the unease I felt at those times as well. It is well that I have been included in this effort of yours, Serpent King, for I have the feeling I will learn much more than I will teach."

It was getting late in the day and Harry was looking to begin the trek back out of the forest for the day when he felt a sudden increase in the intensity of the 'presence'. It was as if a light switch had been turned on and then off in an otherwise dimly lit room. He came to a sudden stop and he was almost piled into by the three youths behind him.

"Sir, what is it?" Huddleford asked.

"I felt a surge in that presence I've been trying to figure out. Very brief but very strong."

"Could you tell if it came from a particular direction, Serpent King?" Morgotta asked.

"No, it was as if it was from all around me. But it does answer one question. It's not constant. I think perhaps it might be time to bring this trek to an end. If I'm not mistaken we should have been curving back towards the way we came."

"Yes, you are right," the Centaur replied. "If we continue this way we will come to a trail near to the meeting circle that will join the main trail perhaps half way to the clearing where we began. You can be out of the forest before sunset."

"Alright, someone mark this spot and note what happened," Harry said.

"Yes, sir."

It was perhaps three quarters of an hour before the little troop arrived at the familiar clearing. The four humans were tired but pleased with the results so far. Morgotta showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

"Fair thee well for now, Serpent King. It has been an interesting experience and I look forward to our next journey."

"My thanks, Friend Morgotta. Your assistance has been invaluable and I will send notice when we intend our next journey, perhaps a fortnight from now," Harry replied.

"And to you, young humans. Our association has had a good start. You make for commendable companions. And to you, Friend Amanda Quonset. I look forward to further discussions with you. Fare well," Morgotta said and then turned back to return to the deep forest that was home.

"Well, I must say you managed to acquit yourself quite well today. We did a fair amount of walking today and it was done without complaint. That was greatly appreciated. What say we get back to the castle and some hot food?"

This was met with positive comments and then Smithson said,

"Excuse me, sir. But I noticed that Morgotta referred to Amanda as 'friend'. Does that apply to all of us?"

"For your part, I wouldn't assume it. It would appear that Morgotta and Amanda were able to form an early bond. Usually it takes a longer association since it requires trust on their part which is very grudgingly given. I wouldn't be concerned. You both did well today and I suspect she will come to regard you similarly at some point in the future. In any respect consider yourselves fortunate for most students go through an entire career here at Hogwarts without ever meeting a Centaur within the forest."

"Of course, it might help if you stopped ogling her like she was some kind of page three girl," Amanda said in a not very quiet tone.

While the two young wizards sputtered in indignation, Harry had to concede to himself with a laugh that that would probably help a great deal.


	50. Chapter 50

Professor Potter, Chapter 50

It was the Sunday morning after Harry's first exploration trip into the forest and as he hauled himself out of bed he realized he should have made more of an effort to go hiking in the past months. Sore muscles protested as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His left knee was only slightly more achy than the rest of him so he felt he was at least slightly ahead on that score. He shuffled into the bathroom in the hopes that a hot shower would help ease the aches a bit. It did, but only a bit. By the time he was walking down the corridor towards the kitchen he was able to identify individual areas of concern as opposed to the general full body ache he felt when he first woke up.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Ginny said from the table where she, Abagail, and the two boys were having breakfast.

"Morning," he replied.

"You really must have pushed yourself too hard yesterday, Harry. You were making some interesting noises in your sleep last night," she said.

"Noises?"

"Yes, mostly little groans as you moved around," she said with a straight face.

He sat down and reached for the tea pot but Abagail was already lifting it up to pour out for him. He fixed it to his liking and took a sip and sighed deeply.

"I hadn't realized I had gotten so old so fast," he said ruefully.

"You're not old, Harry, just a little out of shape. It's been a few years since the Aurors put you through all that rigorous training. It's starting to wear off, I'd think," his wife said.

"I guess you're right. Well, at least its two weeks before the next trip. I should have time to recover a bit by then. How is everyone else this morning?"

Based on the responses everyone else seemed in fine fettle and all smiles. As Harry sipped his tea he got the feeling someone was having a very subtle go at him. It became evident that his appetite was unaffected as he demolished everything Nibs put in front of him. After breakfast he put on a jacket and went outside to let Snuffles run around and he walked some of the stiffness out of his muscles by taking a tour of the property. One specific thing he did was take a walk to the car park and look around. He was going to have to have a small garage erected so he could park the little Morris under cover.

After spying a likely spot he walked back out onto the lawn and began throwing a ball that Snuffles presented to him. He was soon joined by James and it became a match between the boy and his dog as to who got to return the ball to Harry. James came out on the short end of the tally by quite a bit because even when he did get to the ball first, Snuffles would simply bowl him over and take the ball from him. In retaliation, James would try tackling the Mastiff but the weight advantage was definitely in the dog's favor and it was a mostly futile effort. More often than not, James would wind up riding along on the back of the dog, shouting and laughing.

This all put Harry in a better frame of mind and reduced the stiffness for a while. After lunch he did retreat to the library where he began looking for references to the forest in various volumes of history or magical phenomenon. He was deep into one book when Kreacher announced the arrival of visitors.

"Master Harry, Mister Charlie Weasley and Miss Eleanor MacManus to see Master Harry and Mistress Ginny."

"Oh, alright. Thanks, Kreacher. Are they in the living room?"

"Yes, Master Harry."

"Fine, I'll be right along."

Harry pulled himself up out of his chair and made his way to the living room. As he walked in he was met by El who was standing up, waiting to give him a hug. She had spent the last month traveling through Europe making sales calls and doing demonstrations of the Firebolt and Nimbus lines. She wrapped Harry in a tight embrace and felt him stiffen.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, El. I was out trekking in the Forbidden Forest all day yesterday. I'm feeling a bit abused today," he said with a little laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said solicitously and gave him a kiss on the cheek and absently rubbed his back. "What were you doing up in the forest?"

Harry settled himself in his chair and shook hands with Charlie who was on the couch nearby. El took her seat next to Charlie.

"A few weeks back, I was out walking in the evening and as I went by the forest I started feeling some sort of presence. It wasn't like a living creature, it was just something that was there. Almost like a mist but not visible to the eye. It's sort of hard to explain. But it is everywhere in the forest and it's very faint. The dragon picks it up better than just me alone," Harry explained.

"Does it feel like something that's going to be a problem like some of the other things you've encountered?" Charlie asked.

"No, it doesn't have any kind of feel like that, nothing good or bad, just there."

"Sounds odd, but interesting," Charlie replied, his curiosity obviously aroused. "Let me know if you need a hand looking into it."

"Thanks, Charlie. I have three students working on it as a project but I'll take all the help I can get. Even the Centaurs are pitching in."

When Charlie's eyebrows went up, Harry explained the arrangement. Charlie just smiled and shook his head. Eleanor had been listening quietly to the exchange but it was obvious she was deep in thought. She looked at Harry and asked,

"Harry, would you describe this thing again?"

And he did, and she asked a question about the feel of uniformity and vagueness, the 'vast but faint' description he had used the first time he talked about it to someone.

"Do you remember the time we talked about you becoming the dragon for the first time? And I talked about the idea of mass and energy from muggle physics?" she asked him.

"Sure, you said you thought that to keep from obliterating myself because of all the anger and magical energy I was building up I spontaneously converted the energy to mass and the mass became the dragon. At least that's what I think you meant."

"Yes, it was. Well, I think there may be another analogy we can use here. Harry, I know it's been a long time since you were in a muggle school but did you ever hear of the Big Bang theory?" El asked.

"Um, it sounds familiar. I think I heard something about it on the tellie when I would sneak out and watch from the hallway. It has something to do with how they think the universe was formed, right?" Harry said.

"That's right. The idea is everything was squeezed down into one little tiny ball of energy. Then it exploded and expanded and everything in the universe formed out of it. But what I want to tell you happened only about fifty or so years ago. Two men in the States had built a new kind of antenna to do experiments with different ways for wireless communication. But when they started to listen with it they found it had a low buzz or hum. They tried everything to get rid of it but they couldn't. At the same time some other scientists had calculated that if the Big Bang really happened then there should be some residual energy still out there in the universe, very faint, but everywhere. Sound familiar? Well, what the two men with the antenna were hearing matched what the others calculated and they decided it was that remnant of energy.

"Maybe what you're sensing is the remnant of some sort of magic that might have been done a long time ago and you're the first antenna that could pick up on it. I mean, does anyone really know how old the forest is?"

Harry sat and thought about what El was saying. He thought about how it matched up with what Merlin and Dumbledore had said about not knowing who or what were the earliest inhabitants of the forest or who might have gone into it for whatever purpose. Curiouser and curiouser as the old story goes.

"A lot older than we are. Witches and wizards, I mean," Harry said finally. "We found a fair number of stones that looked like they have been shaped by tools. Dumbledore had mentioned seeing them and Morgotta the Centaur said they were in their territory as well. If it turns out to just be the residue of some ancient, long forgotten magic, that's fine. But it makes me very curious to know who worked it in the first place."

When Harry returned to school the following day he found he wasn't the only one curious. His three 'team mates' cornered him after breakfast and asked when they would be going back to the forest.

"I'd think the Saturday after this one coming up. I'd like the time to do some research about a few questions that were raised over the weekend, and I'd like you to start working on as detailed and accurate a map as we can construct. It might help us in the long run. We'll meet formally tomorrow afternoon and go over everything in detail, alright?"

He got positive agreement and the three sixth years hurried off to class talking in low but excited tones. When Harry got to his third year Transfiguration class he took a moment to talk to the young Erikson to see how he was doing with his dreams.

"No, sir, nothing like that again. It's been just the run of the mill stuff and I've been sleeping fine. I don't usually have two of the really specific ones that close together."

"Alright. I'm glad to hear you're getting the rest you need," Harry said and then got on with the work of the day.

A thought had occurred to him so after lunch he went up to the owlry and sent a message to Hermione asking if she had ever come across a reason for why Hogwarts was located where it was in her reading of 'Hogwarts, a History', or anything else she had read. He couldn't ever recall seeing anything.

That Tuesday afternoon he sat with his three student helpers at the Gryffindor table going over their notes and sketches from their first trip. Apparently one of them had a pretty decent hand but he began to wonder about the ability of their little group to produce an accurate map based on their tramping about. He realized it had been done for many centuries that way but he also knew that those maps weren't the best. He began to think of alternatives. Something told him it could be important.

"Sir?" Smithson said.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking about something. I was wondering about some better ways we could come up with for making this map."

"I think I might be able to help with that, sir," the young wizard said.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, sir, I can get a hold of a small hand held GPS unit. It would make it much easier to map out the trails and accurately locate the different artifacts we find," the boy said.

"GPS? What's that?"

The youngster explained about the satellites and time differentials and all the rest. Harry thought he understood but then he said,

"Sounds interesting but you are aware that muggle electronics have a tendency to malfunction when there's a lot of magic around."

"I had heard something about that, sir. But my dad is going to send me the one we have and I'll test it. Maybe we can figure something out. We might also try overflying the forest on brooms with it to get a good fix on the outer limits of its borders."

The discussion continued until dinner and by that time everyone had their assignments on what to do to get ready for the next journey. When Harry returned home the following day and discussed what had gone on Abagail said,

"You know, Harry. All you have to do is fly over the forest and fix everything in your memory and I could draft out the outer edges quite easily."

"Hmm, now that is a thought. I'll keep that in mind. Right now I want to see if the team can come up with something and that way it can go towards their project grade."

"Alright, that makes sense, but remember the offer still stands."

The days came and went, with a very restful weekend where Harry, Abagail and Angus spent all day Saturday at the Burrow shop working on the Morris. Angus wasn't particularly mechanically inclined but he was a willing pair of hands and apparently had the patience of a rock. If you asked him to hold something he would do so without complaint for as long as you needed him to. Harry had the notion that the boy sort of shunted his mind over to the 'Snitch Question' as his project was referred to and the rest was just done on autopilot, so to speak.

Abagail had started to raise questions about the color of the car's bodywork and interior and the conversations between her and her 'granddad' took hours. Sunday was given over to research on the forest and he was coaxing bits and pieces out of various volumes and he was slowly filling a notebook with facts, ideas and speculations. He thought he'd also pay a visit to the muggle libraries to see if there was anything regarding the ancient Britons and those that came before them for any hints. He wondered if there was any future in magical archaeology.

At their next meeting, Harry was told that it was true that the GPS unit wouldn't work while in the confines of the castle or outdoors with more than half a dozen witches or wizards around but it would function within the boundaries of the forest if there was just the three of them about. Harry wondered if his own power would cause any issues and said so.

"One way to find out, sir," Smithson said. "We could go out to the stadium or out past Hagrid's hut and give it a try."

Harry agreed and in the faint light of early evening Harry went with the three youngsters and walked out to the far side of the stadium to try out the device. With Harry standing in the small group the device would fluctuate wildly. If two of the students walked away it would settle down but still not give a steady reading. After several different attempts it was decided that the best results were obtained with only two students adjacent to the device and the other and Harry at least fifty feet away.

On the return trip to the castle it was decided that Harry and one student would walk that far ahead of the other two and Morgotta, who would follow along, mapping and registering the location of various artifacts. Harry sent a message to Charlie asking him if he would like to attend the next trek to provide for some additional experienced adult supervision considering the distance between the two small groups. He also asked Hagrid to contact the Centaurs and let Morgotta know they would be at the clearing at the same time as last.

This set the pattern for the next several trips into the forest. Charlie did indeed decide to participate and his experience as a field researcher made him a welcome addition to the little troop. Morgotta regarded him coolly when he first arrived but after being introduced as Harry's brother and a member of the Weasley clan her attitude softened considerably. By the end of the first trip, during which he demonstrated his unflagging energy, good humor, sharp eye and attention to detail, he was firmly established as part of the team.

The GPS unit proved useful in being able to track and log the routes they had followed that would later be transferred to the large parchment map they were creating. Of particular help was the pinpointing of the worked stone formations that they were finding. As these were plotted on the map, Harry thought he was beginning to recognize a pattern but he couldn't quite spot it. The device seemed to behave itself as hoped, as long as only two of the youngsters were near it. So Harry and Smithson tended to pair up, as did Huddleford and Quonset who worked with the unit. Morgotta didn't seem to cause any issues so she stayed close to the young witch and wizard and Charlie would shift his position along the line but stay at least ten paces away. Had they been able to tell they would have found that the general background magic added a few feet to the measurement error but for what they were doing that wasn't noticeable.

Something that was notable was the rapport that was developing between Morgotta and Amanda Quonset. While no one would mistake the Centaur's attitude for one of friendliness, there was certainly a lessening of the studied formality that was the usual demeanor any human would observe. She consistently used the term 'friend' and more often than not, the two would be involved in some low toned conversation as they walked along or during rest breaks. This familiarity may account for the question that Amanda posed to Morgotta during a rest stop in the afternoon of their third trek.

Harry was sitting to one side of a small clearing discussing something with Charlie. The two younger wizards were double checking location data that was logged on the GPS and likewise recorded in a notebook Harry had provided. He wanted a paper copy in case something happened to the electronic unit. Amanda looked at Morgotta who was reclining nearby.

"Um, Morgotta, would you mind if I asked you a question?" she asked a bit hesitantly.

"You may ask. How I choose to answer, or not, will be up to me."

"I understand. It's just that I've always heard that Centaurs have very little liking for humans, sometimes even hostility. Yet, you seem to tolerate us, the boys and me, I mean, well enough. So did Ronin. But with the Professor it's so much different. There seems to be a great deal of respect, even deference. I know why we feel that way about him but I don't want to assume why you would."

The Centaur regarded the young witch seriously and could see that there was a genuine interest so she decided to answer the question. She glanced over to see that Harry and Charlie were deep in whatever conversation they were having. She looked back at the girl. She also noticed that the two young wizards had stopped their work with the location data and were trying to listen.

"You two young ones may as well hear this. Move closer," Morgotta directed. "It is wise, Friend Amanda Quonset, that you do not assume to assign human rationale to Centaur logic. They are rarely in alignment. Before I answer your question, answer one of mine. Why do you hold the Serpent King in high regard?"

"Um, well, I guess it has to do with all he's done. Right from his first days at Hogwarts he was involved in the fight with Voldemort, he showed lots of skill and courage. He was so determined to fight that battle right to the end. Then there's all he accomplished at the Ministry with the Aurors and Patrollers and the criminals he stopped. Plus he's about the best teacher any of us have ever had. He knows so much and has so much experience, but he treats us almost like friends, even family. It's all that kind of thing, I guess," she finished.

"And you?" Morgotta looked at the two boys.

Smithson merely nodded to indicate he agreed with Amanda's assessment. Huddleford added,

"Not to mention he is such a great Quidditch flyer."

"We see something different," Morgotta began. "What you say is all true, in fact, but our perspective is greatly different. What you have described is a great individual with a long trail of accomplishments worthy of your respect and admiration. You touched only once on what we would see as more important, and that was when you said he treats you like friends or family. You should know, young humans, that we Centaurs draw our strongest sense of self from our being a part of the herd. A singular Centaur is an extreme rarity. That which we find most undesirable about humans is the tendency to think inwardly. The concept of 'I' and 'me' instead of 'us' and 'we'. Your Professor Potter is far more like a Centaur in that respect than he is a human. He sees himself as part of a great family of similar beings, witches and wizards, and thinks rarely of himself. More than once that vision has come close to costing him his life. He chooses to teach out of a desire to lessen the likelihood of a repeat of the dark times. He shares of himself and his good fortune for the betterment of that family, a herd in a sense. No other human have we encountered has possessed those qualities to such a degree. Dumbledore was similar but not nearly so strong. Yes, we respect him as a warrior and a skilled practioner of his arts, but those are merely his tools to safeguard his herd, which as it so happens, also includes my own."

Morgotta had been watching the faces of the youngsters as she talked and she thought she saw something in their expressions.

"Do not think less of yourselves for not seeing your Professor in this light. We all have our place and our tasks. Be who you are as best as you can, and go about your tasks to the best of your ability and you will have no reason for such thoughts. You need not see the world as others do, you need only realize that they may see it differently and be accepting of that difference."

Harry hadn't heard what was being said, but he was aware that a conversation had taken place. He also noticed that there was very little discussion on the part of the three youngsters as the rest of the afternoon passed. Another interesting question was posed later in the following week when Harry and the three students were reviewing the map and its newly added data. This time it was from Huddleford, who asked,

"Um, sir, if you don't mind, we've been discussing something and have a bit of a concern."

"And that would be?"

"Well, sir, one of your requirements for these projects is to develop and demonstrate an understanding of the magic involved in whatever is being worked on. So far we really haven't come across anything magical that we can identify, let alone began to investigate and understand. We're getting a little worried about it, quite frankly."

"I can understand that," Harry answered. "Don't worry about it too much. I have a feeling we'll be coming across something relatively soon. If not, I'm prepared to make some allowances. If nothing promising emerges by the winter break we'll look at making some adjustments. That's one of the advantages of working with the teacher," Harry finished with a grin.

They needn't have worried. By the end of their fourth journey the data that they had entered, along with some observations Morgotta added about those similar formations located within the territory of the Centaurs described a pattern that became very familiar to even the most casual observer. The points described a spiral. It began at the edge of the forest opposite from where Hogwarts stood and seemed to end somewhere beyond where the spiders used to call home. The actual terminus of the spiral was a little vague and would require on-the-ground searching.

The fifth and final trek before the end of term was going to be spent in this area. It should be noted that during the four trips to date, Harry had had only that one instance where the presence or whatever it was had that sharp spike. The rest of the time he felt only that same vague, ever present inaudible hum.

Since they would be nearing the shrinking realm of the giant spiders some extra precautions were being taken. They would not rely as heavily on the GPS unit and would remain closer together. Ronin and Bane would join them at the edge of that area and remain with them until danger from the spiders was left behind. While it was agreed that Harry was a match for any number of the creatures, he could not be everywhere or see everything at once and the addition of a pair of skilled archers was considered prudent.

Charlie came prepared with climbing gear that he had often used in his field work to gain access to remote cliff side caves and roosting areas for dragons. The rope was slung over his shoulder and across his torso and a canvas bag held the various pieces of hardware. The sun had barely broken from the horizon as the band of humans plunged into the forest and headed for the dark interior of the forest. Morgotta met them in the usual place and took up station at the end of the line. It took nearly half an hour of steady walking to reach the area that while no more densely forested took on a darker aspect.

Harry had called a halt because he knew his two friends were there before they were seen. The two large Centaurs drifted out of the gloom and stood facing Harry.

"Hail and well met, Serpent King," Bane intoned.

"Well met, Friend Harry Potter," offered Ronin.

"Greetings, my friends, and my thanks for your joining us. Your company and added skills will be much appreciated in this part of our journey."

"We are pleased to be of assistance, Friend Harry Potter. Many of us have found Morgotta's descriptions of your explorations of great interest and we are glad for the chance to take even a small part."

"If trouble finds us, I'm sure your part will be other than small," Harry said with a smile. "Shall we proceed?"

With nods the Centaurs fell in with the others and the party marched on. It didn't take long before the travelers began to feel something in the air. Eyes moved from side to side and heads swiveled in all directions, including upward. While nothing was seen the sense of being watched was strong and odd noises could be heard off to the left of the trail.

"The eight legged ones are watching, Serpent King. By the sound, more than a few," Ronin said in a low voice.

"Yes, I know," Harry replied. "Let me try something."

As Harry planned for this trip he thought back to his time with Ron when they came to talk with Aragog and almost wound up as dinner for his offspring. He remembered the reaction that ordinary spiders had to the mere hint of the presence of the basilisk and he thought to try something. He raised a hand to call a halt to the little column and then he walked several paces ahead. He turned to face the trees on the left side of the trail and looked inward.

He let some of the dragon surface and he could feel his senses sharpen considerably. He could tell there were some two dozen or so of the big spiders less than fifty yards away. He knew his eyes had changed because he could now see up into the trees and his sharpened vision could pick out that at least half of the spiders were up in the branches. But almost as quickly he could sense a feeling of primitive panic, a reaction bred into the very genes of the eight legged monsters.

The others heard it as high pitched squeals and the crashing of large multi-limbed bodies moving as quickly as they could through the sparse undergrowth. Harry was able to see that at least two of the creatures that had been high in the trees had fallen in their panic to lie dead on the ground. It seemed the rest would have the opportunity to feed after all. He let his senses probe the surrounding area for any other sign of hostile life but as had happened before, the entire area around them had gone deathly silent.

"What has occurred, Serpent King?" Bane asked.

"I remembered from my second year at Hogwarts when the basilisk was loose that all the spiders in the castle and surrounding areas had fled into the forest. I just tried to project the idea of a giant snake at them and it seemed to do the trick. Sounded like there were a fair number of them," Harry replied blandly.

"Indeed. The size of our party must have attracted them. It would seem we can proceed with some confidence," Ronin offered, an odd expression on his usually stern face.

The only response was a bit of a snort from the rear of the column. They marched on, the three youngsters, while reasonably confident in the combined capabilities of the two adult wizards and three Centaurs, still looked about with a bit of nervousness. Based on the calculations from the map and Harry's own senses they moved off the trail about fifteen minutes walk from where they encountered the spiders and began to pick their way through the trees. This deep into the forest the trees were huge and spaced far enough apart to leave fairly wide lanes between them. The ground seemed to be rising slightly and there were a fair number of small boulders strewn about. Harry began to get an idea of where the rocks had come from for the 'markers' they had mapped out.

As the sun rose higher in the sky the gloom dissipated a bit and they walked on in what seemed like early twilight. All eyes were in constant motion as they surveyed the ground around them for any signs. Finally, a shape began to immerge from the gloom. It appeared to be a jumble of very large rocks and boulders. As they got closer an opening became evident. It appeared to be half again as high as Harry was tall and perhaps half that wide. It was slightly irregular but not nearly as much as the jumble of rocks should have produced. It might admit a Centaur without bumping his head but it would be a close thing.

As Harry approached the opening he drew his wand and muttered 'lumos'. The ball of white light illuminated the opening and part of the tunnel. He could see where rocks met and leaned against one another but it was hard for his untrained eye to decide whether they were random or purposely positioned. He could not sense any change in the feel of the place as compared to the rest of the forest. As he stepped forward he heard from Charlie,

"Um, Harry, are you sure you want to do that?"

Harry looked back and said with a little grin,

"Charlie, you should know better than to ask that. I never ask someone else to do what I won't, and this is my expedition, after all. I'll be fine. You can keep an eye on me from here."

Charlie wasn't happy but he knew better than to argue so he took a spot next to the opening were he could see clearly. The three Centaurs regarded one another with serious faces but said nothing. They turned to form a rough arc a short distance from the opening looking outward for any approaching danger. The three students came to stand by Charlie who directed them to the other side of the tunnel mouth, using the edge for some cover.

Harry altered the shape of the light and used it more like a high powered muggle torch, casting a long beam down the length of the tunnel. It looked like it angled downward somewhat because it was certainly longer than the jumble of rock so it must extend down into the ground. The floor was a hard packed earth, or so it seemed and his boots made no noise as he walked along. Harry had gone perhaps fifty feet along the passageway when a loud crack reverberated through the tunnel. Before he could react the ground gave way and he dropped out of sight.

Charlie let out a shout and rushed in but pulled himself up sharply. He wasn't sure how much of the floor was ready to drop. So he shouted,

"Harry, can you hear me? Harry?"

He thought he heard a faint,

"Wait a moment."

Then a voice came through much clearer.

"I'm alright, Charlie, but have a care. I don't know how stable the rest of that floor is. I'm using 'Sonorous'. I'm sitting on a stone floor maybe fifty feet down. I was able to slow myself before I hit. I dropped my wand and it went out. Give me a moment to get myself situated."

If fact, Harry was sitting on a smooth stone floor in near total darkness. The only light was that of the hole in what was now a roof where some of the morning gloom made it a shade less dark. Harry held out his hand and said,

"Accio wand," and in a second the handle of his ironwood wand smacked into his palm.

Once more he used 'lumos' to produce a large ball of bright white light. What he saw almost caused him to drop it again. He was standing in an enormous cavern, the far reaches of which were lost beyond the edge of the ball of light's illumination. What he was facing, however, was a large edifice that contained a number of door-like openings at ground level and a few farther up the face. The top of the structure, for lack of a better word, was just a hand span or so below the roof of the cavern. The front of the edifice had that same 'might have been shaped by tools' look as the other things they had seen.

He adjusted the beam and took a look at the hole in the roof and he saw that the edges didn't look all that firm. He called up.

"Charlie. Stay away from the edge of the hole. It looks ready to crumble. I'm alright and I can levitate out of here but there's something's to look at. Keep the kids out there with the Centaurs. Let me have a look and then you can think about coming down. You'll want to see this."

"Alright, Harry. We'll wait," Charlie said, obviously having used 'Sonorous' as well.

He walked up to the edifice and saw that the openings were just a bit higher than his head. He used his wand to shine light into each one starting from one side. It appeared they opened into empty chambers maybe twenty feet on a side. The ceilings were half that high. He continued to walk along until he came to the opening that was in the middle of the face of the edifice.

This room was not empty. In what appeared to be the center was a stone column, perhaps seven feet tall, a foot square at the base and tapering to a point, giving it the appearance of a very skinny pyramid. It was totally unadorned with sharp edges and smooth faces. Harry thought it looked like it had been finished just yesterday. He walked into the room and made a circuit anti-clockwise around the pillar. Then he walked in the other direction. There was nothing else to be seen. He looked up at the ceiling and saw it was just more of the smooth appearing stone that comprised the rest of the structure.

He came to a halt facing the column and he closed his eyes, his arms hanging at his sides, just trying to open himself to whatever might be around. He wasn't sure but the vague, ever present something he was feeling seemed just a bit more focused here, but no more intense. He laid a hand on the surface of the pillar and it felt warm. In fact, he realized the air in the cavern seemed a little warmer than it should have been for this time of year and this deep in the forest. He thought about what had happened when he was in that little passageway that wound up leading to Merlin and his tome. He took a deep breath and laid his other hand on the pillar as best he could holding the wand. Nothing happened.

He let the wand blink out and in the darkness he tucked it into his belt. He laid both hands flat on the stone face, closed his eyes and tried to open himself once again. The focused feel became stronger and he tried to drawn that sense into himself. He also tried to let a little of the dragon surface and with that sharpened focus he felt a rush of sensation through his hands. In an instant a picture opened in his mind's eye with the pillar reaching far beneath the stone floor and joining with two lines of what felt like some form of heat or energy. The lines met at an uneven angle, as if another line was missing. Harry tried to cast about and see if he could find a third one. A little way off he 'saw' a third line, wavering at what might have been a small distance from the juncture of the other two. What the actual distance was he couldn't tell. In fact, he couldn't even tell if this was really what was there or it was just his minds way of rationalizing what he was feeling through the pillar.

He tried to reach out and coax the line closer but it didn't move. He eased a bit more of the dragon to the fore of his consciousness and coupling that strength to his own, he imagined giving a mighty pull and he 'saw' the line move as if it was wrenched into position. The results were immediate and immense. A huge surge rushed up through the pillar and with a brilliant flash hurled Harry out through the doorway to land on his back on the bare stone, slamming his head to the floor. He was swallowed in blackness deeper than the cavern itself.


	51. Chapter 51

Professor Potter, Chapter 51

"Oh, bloody hell, not again," was Harry's first subconscious thought after his 'encounter' with the pillar in the cavern deep in the Forbidden forest.

It was subconscious since he still had not awakened but as he began to surface from the blackness he passed through that place he had come to know so well. With it came the realization that he was once more flat on his back, most likely in a bed in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. At least he hoped he was and that he wasn't still lying on the rock floor of the underground chamber. He took a moment to try and gather his thoughts.

Obviously it had been unwise to try to manipulate the force lines he had sensed without knowing what might happen. Equally obvious was the fact that he was faced with something much greater than a student project. Speaking of students, he wondered for a moment how the three sixth years were faring. With Charlie and the three Centaurs he was sure they were in no danger but he imagined they were likely to be a bit shaken up. As he was contemplating this he 'heard' a voice.

"Harry, my boy, are you there?"

"Um, yes, Professor," he replied.

Professor Dumbledore emerged from the swirling mist and stood regarding Harry over the top of his glasses, his hands held together inside the sleeves of his robe.

"Well, Harry, that was rather spectacular. We felt it all the way here."

"Did you really, sir? Do you have any idea what 'it' was?" Harry asked.

"Beyond it being an energy surge of some sort, of enormous power, no, I'm afraid we do not. Would you care to describe what you encountered?"

Harry told his mentor everything he could remember about what he had found. When he described the lines of energy or whatever they were, Dumbledore's expression became very intent. When Harry explained how he pulled the one wayward line into contact with the others which resulted in the surge and Harry's present state, the old wizard's eyebrows lifted.

"Astounding, Harry. Once more you present us, by chance or some design, another incredible aspect of our world. One would think that Hogwarts is going to have to add the 'Harry Potter Institute for Arcane Research' to its program," Dumbledore said, his face now sporting a small, wry smile.

"Maybe I should locate it right next to the hospital wing. The two seem well connected. I assume that's where I am now."

"That I cannot tell you, dear boy. Our perceptions of the world outside your mind are channeled through you. Perhaps it's time you tried to discover that for yourself. I believe I will go have a chat with our friend Merlin and see if he has any understanding of what you found. Until later, Harry."

"Alright, Professor, and thanks for looking in on me," Harry replied.

"My pleasure, dear boy," Dumbledore said and then he turned and walked back into the mist.

Harry smiled inwardly and then resumed his climb back out of the darkness to consciousness. When he got there it took but a moment to realize he wasn't in one of Madame Pomfrey's sick beds. The sounds and smells were all wrong. As to sights, he wasn't seeing any as something soft and cool was lying across his eyes and forehead. He thought something similar was pressing against the back of his head. His vast experience with being a recently awakened patient told him not to touch anything or make any dramatic movement. He fell back on what he knew worked best in these situations.

"Hello, I say, is anyone there?"

Instead of a reply he heard a snort and then the clatter of hooves on a hard surface. While considering the implications of this he heard the sound of a more measured pace of clicking, reminding him of the sound Firenze made when he walked down the corridor between their classrooms. As the sound drew nearer he heard a familiar voice,

"Greetings, Serpent King. Welcome back to consciousness."

"Elder?" Harry said and then groaned a bit. "Please tell me I'm not where I think I am."

"You are in what your kind would call an infirmary located on the outskirts of our communal home," Zentese said, his voice showing no sign of the confusion he was feeling after hearing the pained tone of Harry's voice. "You find such not to your liking?"

"I'm sorry, Zentese. I meant no offense. I'm just a little disconcerted about winding up here after doing something unwise. It makes me feel like I am trespassing."

This statement elicited another snort, one of dismissal.

"Be at ease, Serpent King. It was we who decided to bring you here. Had you sought this place out on your own, the situation, and its consequences would be different. There are those few who felt we should have brought you to the edge of the forest and turned you over to Friend Hagrid, but wiser thoughts prevailed and you were put in the charge of our primary healer. She waits outside and I will give you over to her and return once she has completed her work. Until then, Friend Harry Potter, rest at ease."

"Thank you, Elder. For your understanding and your patience," Harry said.

This time it was more of a laugh than a snort. The exit of the Elder and the entrance of the Centaur Healer were quick and reasonably quiet.

"Good morning, Serpent King. Please describe any discomfort you are presently experiencing," said a voice, both quiet and high pitched, almost girlish sounding.

"Um, the back of my head has a dull ache and there is a bit of a sharp pain just below my right shoulder blade."

He felt strong but gentle fingers come to rest on either side of his head gently probing or massaging.

"Both are the result of your sudden contact with the floor, Serpent King. You have a small abrasion on your back as you stated. It has been cleaned and treated and will heal in time. You also have a sizable lump on the back of your head but fortunately for you, no further injury. I have often heard it said that wizards are possessed of exceedingly thick skulls. Until now I thought it was simply a metaphor. Perhaps there is some truth to it."

The last was accompanied by the neighing sound Harry had come to recognize as rare, at least to him, Centaur laughter. He could only smile a bit.

"And this across my eyes?" he asked.

"Simply a soft cloth soaked in water that contains certain herbs to sooth your sleep and protect your eyes. It is also intended to sooth certain members of the herd who objected to your being brought here," the Healer replied.

"Ah, a blindfold," Harry said.

"In a manner of speaking. A medicinal aid would be more accurate. I will need to remove it for a moment. I ask that you keep your eyes directed towards the ceiling. I have your agreement?"

"Certainly," he agreed.

He felt the damp cloth being pulled away and the first thing he saw was a hand, held palm down, in front of his face.

"It is dim in this room, Serpent King, but I want to give your eyes the opportunity to adjust slowly. Please blink them a few times."

Harry did as he was asked.

"Is there any discomfort?"

"No, ma'am. They feel just fine."

"Good. Now I'll take my hand away. If you feel any discomfort or pain, close your eyes quickly."

The Healer removed her hand and Harry was able to see the ceiling of the room, with just the normal blurring associated with his glasses being off.

"All is well, yes? Now try it with these," she said as she slipped his glasses on for him.

He could see that the ceiling was made of some form of closely woven reeds or fine branches. His view was cut off and replaced by the face of the oldest Centaur he had ever seen. He made this judgment based on the pure white mane and the patterns of fine lines by her eyes and around the corners of her mouth. Her hazel eyes regarded him with professional interest.

"Please look to the right and then left without moving your head," she directed.

Harry did as he was told but he wasn't able to see anything further. He did get the distinct impression that he was lying a fair distance above the floor since the healer wasn't bending over him to any great degree. She gave a curt nod and then removed his glasses and placed a new cloth over his face. This one was also damp but had a different and quite invigorating fragrance.

"Ah, I see my little preparation is working its charms. I find it's very helpful when a patient is getting back on his feet for the first time."

"I'll be able to leave soon?" Harry asked.

"Indeed you will, Serpent King. As I said, your skull was proof against the stone of that cavern's floor. The swelling should subside over the next day or two. What I was concerned with most was your vision. That is why I was taking such precautions a moment ago."

"My vision?"

"Yes, the part of the brain that controls vision is at the back. A hard enough blow can render a person, Centaur or human, blind. Temporarily or permanently. If in the days ahead your eyesight begins to blur seek a healer quickly."

"Yes, ma'am, I'll do that," Harry replied.

With his eyes covered he missed the small smile and head shake his use of the female honorific provoked.

"Um, can you tell me what day it is?" he continued.

"It is the morning of the day after the incident, Serpent King. You were not away for very long at all. Rest here for a bit, the Elder will be back and then you will be escorted to the edge of our territory where those of your kind will be waiting. It has been an honor to have been of assistance."

"The honor is mine although I regret the necessity and the intrusion."

The Healer regarded him once more and with a final headshake said,

"Fair thee well, Serpent King."

He listened to the sounds of her leaving and in a few moments heard the hoof clatter of someone entering the room, or re-entering, as it was Zentese returning.

"The Healers assessment of your condition is very heartening, Friend Harry Potter. When you feel ready we will provide an escort to where your friends can see you the rest of the way home. I am pleased we have been able to render what aid we could, and as you say, regret the necessity. We will need for you to leave the eye cover in place until we leave the environs of our home. I trust you understand."

"Of course. I'm ready to go whenever my escort is," Harry replied.

"As you wish. Please sit up slowly. The eye covering will remain in place."

Harry sat up and except for a slight throb at the back of his head it felt fairly well. He swung his legs over the side and found that he was indeed higher above the floor than a normal bed would have placed him. The nature of the bed felt a bit makeshift and he had to assume that he was probably the first human to ever need one within the community. He was able to step down since a small section of tree trunk had been placed next to the bed as a step stool. As his feet came to rest over the side of the bed he bumped it and he wiggled sideways a bit so he was squared up and able to stand slowly.

A strong hand took Harry by the elbow and steadied him as he gingerly stepped down to stand firmly on the floor. He did a quick inventory and he found that there was no other pain nor was there any queasiness that often accompanied a head injury.

"I seem to be alright, Elder."

"One is pleased to hear that, Serpent King. I will guide you to your escort."

The Elder placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and together they left the room and then the building, he assumed, where he had been seen to. He was immediately aware of any number of pairs of eyes on him. He had to think this made for quite a spectacle but he simply concentrated on stepping carefully. The Serpent King falling flat on his face wouldn't be the best outcome for this trip. The oddly mismatched pair walked for perhaps a few dozen paces and then Zentese halted them.

"Friend Harry Potter. This is where I leave you. Ronin and Bane will see you safely to your people. Once again, it was our privilege to have been able to serve in this capacity and I trust in time you will come not to feel that you have intruded or been a burden. Fare thee well until our next meeting, under more favorable stars."

"Fare well, Zentese. Thank you again. Would that I could offer you the hospitality of my own home, under more pleasant circumstances."

The Elder's expression took on a wry set and he replied,

"A highly unlikely but not necessarily impossible eventuality, Serpent King. A safe journey."

"Serpent King," Ronin began, "reach out with your right hand and place it upon my shoulder. We will take you by ways that offer smooth footing. A bit longer in time to travel but likely to spare you bruises."

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Ronin. I have discovered that Centaurs are the souls of courtesy."

He heard two sets of Centaur laughter as the little party began the slow steady journey. With his eyes covered he began to listen carefully to his surroundings. The air was crisp, bordering on cold as winter was just a few days away from officially beginning. He thought he could smell just the hint of snow in the air. They had been underway for perhaps half an hour when Bane asked him a question.

"Serpent King, a question if I may."

"Of course."

"After you chased away the eight legged monsters, your explanation did not ring completely true."

"No, I suppose it didn't, and although you didn't ask I suppose you'd like to know why. It's very simple. With the exception of a small circle of family and trusted friends no humans know of my other nature. Some surmise a connection of sorts with the dragon that visits Hogwarts but more in the form of companion or familiar. I explained to the three students you journeyed with that the name Serpent King refers to my success in battling serpents, dragons and the snake-like Voldemort. What I did with the spiders was to allow a small part of the dragon to emerge. It was that that the spiders fled and it was no illusion," Harry finished.

It was a few moments when Bane offered,

"It must be a difficult thing to have to keep concealed so significant a part of oneself."

"It does present its problems but I believe the alternatives, humans being humans, magical or no, would be far worse," Harry said ruefully.

"You are most likely correct."

The small party continued on for a while longer until Ronin said,

"Your friends are in sight, Friend Harry Potter. You may remove the eye covering now. We will stand watch on that which has been discovered until we hear from you on how you wish to proceed. It is deep enough into the forest that anyone wishing to approach will not escape notice."

Harry took off the blindfold and blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the gloomy but still brighter light beneath the trees. When he put on his glasses and looked at the assemblage standing across the trail some twenty paces or so away he had to smile. He could see Charlie and Bill standing on either side of Ginny, which was unexpected. Behind was Hagrid who was keeping a restraining hand on Norby.

Knowing his wife's usual tendency he braced himself for a rush, but instead she stepped several yards forward of her brothers and waited for Harry to join her. Her embrace was as fierce as ever and Harry found the scent of her hair every bit as invigorating as the solution the healer had used on his eye cloth. When she eased her embrace she looked up at him and said,

"How are you feeling, Harry? Is your head alright?"

"Now there's a question that could take a long time to answer, but as far as the knock I just took, it's alright actually, just a bit of a dull ache in the back," he said as he turned her back towards the others and walked with his arm draped around her shoulders. "I should be just fine or so the Centaur's healer said."

"I'm very glad to hear that. What was with the cloth over your eyes?" she asked.

"There was a bit of worry about problems with my vision plus she soaked it in a solution that helped me sleep better and then a different one that got me back on my feet. Plus they wanted to make sure I didn't see anything of their home. Apparently there were a few that were really upset I was brought there."

As they joined the others Ginny said,

"But I thought all the Centaurs thought very highly of you, Harry."

"Possibly not, and even if they all like me, I think many would prefer to like the idea of me as long as that idea is far enough away. Besides, I really can't expect everyone everywhere to like me, now can I?" he said with a grin.

The next few minutes were spent shaking hands, confirming his reasonable state of health and adamantly refusing any offer to carry or levitate him out of the forest. He said he would be fine as long as he was allowed to take it easy. He also took a few moments to give Norby a healthy dose of ear and head scratches. Harry specifically asked that any discussion of what they found and what had happened to him take place once he returned to Meadow Crest and Hagrid was welcome to come visit to hear it if he'd like.

It took perhaps an hour and a half for the small troop to make its way back to the castle and for Harry to find himself sitting on a stool in the hospital wing getting a thorough going over from Madame Pomfrey. The Headmistress was sitting in a chair close by, watching but saying nothing. Finally, the Healer stepped back and said,

"Well, Harry, apparently you've avoided any serious consequences from your latest escapade. They managed to keep the swelling to a minimum. I must say, my compliments to their Healer."

"I'll make sure to pass that along," Harry said mildly.

"Do you still have that cold bag I gave you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I suggest you use it periodically until the swelling is all gone. Take it easy for the next few days and pay attention to where you're going and what you're doing. A bout of dizziness can pop up without warning," she said and then reached out and took his face in both hands. "And I would suggest you look into buying some protective head gear if you insist on continuing these expeditions of yours."

Harry smiled as best he could and then she released him. He looked over at Professor McGonagall who was regarding him with her best neutral expression. Then she just shook her head and said,

"I agree whole heartedly. No matter how hard a skull a wizard has, sooner or later, he will find something hard enough to crack it. So, Harry, you have another mystery to solve."

"Well, Professor, a mystery yes, but whether or not it can be solved is anyone's guess. But it surely looks interesting," Harry responded.

"Very well, but I'll ask that you keep the students away from whatever it is you found. At least until you have some better idea of its nature and subsequent hazards. Oh, and since we only have the few days left until the students leave for the holiday break, have your family take you home and get some rest. I want you to have a clear head when I come to have you explain this all to me. All Albus would say was 'Minerva, wait until you hear what Harry has found this time'."

Harry winced a bit and then started to laugh. The he said,

"Feel free to visit anytime after the next couple of days, Professor, and I'll be glad to tell you everything I know, which at this time is very little."

"I will do that, Professor Potter, and I'll inform your little troop that you've been sent home and you'll contact them in due course."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She had been regarding him over her glasses and then she smiled a bit and shook her head again. Then she said,

"Harry, had I known then what I know now, I do believe I would have retired from Hogwarts the day before you arrived."

Harry's eyebrows shot up and then he joined both the Headmistress and Healer in laughter. When Harry joined his wife and brothers in the waiting room he was in a better mood. The dull ache was fading and as long as he didn't touch the back of his head there was no sharp pains. The small laceration on his back was more like a persistent itch than any real pain. Ginny took him by the arm and walked with him down the corridor while Bill and Charlie followed close behind. He assumed they were headed for the little house to take the Floo Network home but the two brothers had other ideas.

"No Floo Network for you, Harry. Charlie and I will take you home using Side Along Apparation. We're not taking any chances with you."

Harry was about to protest but he felt Ginny's fingers dig into his arm, even through the jacket he wore. Considering the grief he must have caused her with this latest incident he acquiesced and once they were beyond the Hogwarts gates he allowed himself to be transported home. When they arrived by the front portico he decided that even having someone else do the work, he really didn't like Apparation very much.

The front door swung open and Harry saw Kreacher standing there waving the four into the house. In the hallway beyond were several very familiar faces, to include Molly Weasley, Abagail, Eleanor, Ron and Hermione. Into the babble of voices that erupted as he walked in through the door Harry held up his hands and said,

"Alright, alright. I'm fine. Let's all go into the living room and I'll tell you what happened. Kreacher, can you bring in tea and some sort of breakfast for me? I haven't eaten since yesterday."

"Right away, Master Harry."

With Ginny still holding on to his arm he led them all into the living room where he found Fleur and her two children. Leaving Dominique with her sister, Fleur rose and approached Harry, her blue eyes taking in every detail.

"You are well, mon ami?"

"Pretty well, Fleur. Just a bit of a dull ache back here," he replied, gesturing to the back of his head.

She smiled a bit and gave him a one armed hug while the other draped on Ginny's shoulder. She kissed his cheek lightly and whispered,

"You are not een the clear yet, mon frère."

Harry looked at Fleur who gestured with her head towards Victoire who was regarding her favorite uncle with a penetrating glare, her arms folded tightly across her chest. He said,

"No hug or kiss for your uncle?"

"You hurt your head again, didn't you, Uncle 'arry?"

"Yes, Miss V, I did, but not much."

"You said no more headaches and no more getting hurt."

"Yes, I did, and I have been trying," Harry said as he walked with Ginny and Fleur over to the couch. "But aren't you even a little bit glad to see me?"

"Yes, but you promised," she said, the expression on her face flickering.

"I know I did and I'm sorry. Maybe I need to bring you along on my adventures so you can keep an eye on me."

The little girl gave him a look and rolled her eyes and then held up her arms so he could pick her up. The exertion gave his back a little twinge but it was minor. Victoire put her arms around his neck gingerly and kissed both his cheeks before leaning back and looking at him seriously.

"When I get to Hogwarts I'll make sure you stay out of trouble, Uncle 'arry."

This got a laugh from the others who had filed into the room and were watching the exchange. Harry smiled at his niece and after giving her kisses on her cheeks he replied,

"I can't wait."

It took a few moments to get everyone seated and then Nibs and Kreacher brought in trays with teapots, cups, platters and a plate loaded for Harry. He was about to began his explanation around mouthfuls when the sound of running feet was heard from the hallway. Ted Lupin came to a skidding halt in front of the entrance, breathing hard.

"Harry, you're alright?"

"Yes, Ted, but how did you find out so soon," Harry asked, surprised to see the boy.

"Weasley telegraph. Word went out last night that you got hurt. Gran sent me to find out if you were alright."

"Tell her I'm doing fine. Use one of the house owls if you want to hang around for a while."

"Alright," the boy replied. "I'll be right back."

So between gulps of food and sips of tea Harry explained what had occurred the previous day. Now it shouldn't be said that Harry's family had become jaded over the years but by now they seemed willing to accept just about anything unusual with which he became involved. So what might have caused others to exclaim or at least drop a jaw, those in the living room were more inclined to nod or shake their heads or perhaps purse their lips. The fact that he woke up in the village, or communal home or whatever it really was, of the Centaurs seemed to be particularly fascinating. He concluded with Madame Pomfrey's assessment of his few injuries and then sat back.

"So, any ideas on what we have here?" he asked.

"Just how old do you think that structure is?" El asked.

"I dunno, how old is the forest?"

"No, Harry, I don't think so," Hermione began. "The forest can't really be that ancient. Remember that nearly all of the British isles were covered in ice thousands of feet thick during the last ice age and that ended around twelve thousand years ago. So the forest can't be any older than that."

"So, neither can that building," Charlie said. "But I saw it when I went down after Harry and it was odd. It gave you the impression of being really old but it showed no signs of wear at all. Besides, if what you say is correct, Hermione, how could it have survived all that ice?"

"I don't know, Charlie," Hermione said, "geology was never a big interest of mine. My dad might know something. He's quite the science geek, as they say. Reads a lot and watches all the documentaries about such stuff. I do know that before the last ice age there were people living here for tens and tens of thousands of years. Well, I say people, but that might include our ancestors who weren't quite modern humans. But I've never heard about anything being found like what you've described."

"Makes me wonder about those markers, too. And how they were laid out in a spiral the way they were," Harry mused.

"That might be a bit easier to figure out, Harry," Bill said. "When I was a full time treasure hunter, one of the things I would see in places around Britain and Ireland were spiral symbols. Associated with the Celts I seem to recall. Perhaps they found what was underneath in the cavern and built the stone structure above and marked a trail or ceremonial road to it with those markers, using the spiral as a pattern. From what you described that pile seemed a bit too orderly to be random and the Celtic and pre-Celtic sites I've seen used lots of stacked stone and boulders. It seems to fit."

"I suppose so. Of course that doesn't tell us anything about who might have created what was in that cavern or how they recognized and tapped into those lines of power or whatever. Or what any of this has to do with what I was feeling in the forest. The only thing I know is that being near that pillar, that presence felt a bit more focused. Or course, after I banged my head off the floor I couldn't feel anything at all," Harry said.

Then he looked at Hermione and said,

"When I asked you about having read anything in regard to why Hogwarts was built where it was you said you hadn't but you'd do some checking. Did you find anything new?"

"Afraid not, Harry. None of the histories I have mention anything about it other than 'this is where they put it'. As I've gone back over those books it seems a lot of it was second and third hand. I don't believe I've ever come across anything that was actually written by one of the founders. Have you?"

"No, with all those books I have across the hall not a one contains anything credited as having been written by any of the four. And when I spoke to Merlin, he said he had almost no contact with the Forbidden forest during all his time here," Harry said. "The fact that the whole country was bulldozed by that ice would mean there would be no physical evidence left of those particular people that might provide some clue."

"Harry?" came a small breathy voice.

"Yes, Abagail?"

"Maybe I could help. Maybe I could get a feel for what went on there."

"Abagail, we are talking thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years having passed," Harry replied.

"I was able to see the early Merlin in that one page of the tome and that was several thousand years old. Perhaps if the magic that was done was strong or if someone was powerful enough there might be some traces. And it's not like I have the power to pull leylines into place so I don't think I'd be in any danger."

"What did you call them?"

"Leylines. It's what some people call the supposed lines of power that they believe run below the surface of the world. What you described sounded similar," she replied.

"Alright, let me give that some thought. Well, you all know what I know about this. If you have any ideas I'd like to hear them. If Hermione is right about the ages of the forest and this place I guess they aren't connected," Harry said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Don't be in such a hurry, mate," Ron said, speaking for the first time. "What if this place has been around for all this time, well back before the ice? And if whoever it was could use that pillar to tap in to all that energy, who knows what kind of magic, or whatever it was they did, they were able to perform. Maybe all that was absorbed by the rock and ground all around it, sealed in place by the ice and then along comes the forest. What do trees do? They put down roots and pull stuff and water out of the ground. Maybe this power got pulled up too and that's what you're feeling. And you said the cavern and pillar felt warmer than it should. Those two lines you found at first might be enough to put out a little bit of power."

Harry regarded his best friend and then nodded slightly.

"You may be on to something there. Maybe all that power in the ground and trees made it feel like the right place to put a school of magic. Sounds like we need another expedition," Harry said in a decidedly happier frame of mind.

The reaction from the others was mixed and very vocal.


	52. Chapter 52

Professor Potter, Chapter 52

"Harry! Harry Potter! Wake up!" called the familiar, if annoying, voice followed by pounding on the door.

Harry's eyes opened and his blurry, unassisted vision only showed the indistinct outlines of the small space that was his room, illuminated by the faint glow coming from his right side. He fumbled for his glasses, finding them on the rough wooden shelf behind his head. The feel of the heavy plastic frames joined by several wrappings of white bandage tape was at once familiar yet alarmingly wrong. Once his vision focused through the scratched lenses he could see where he was.

It was his room, the cupboard under the staircase at 4 Privet Drive. He reached out and touched the walls and the now unlatched door. They all felt real and solid. How could this be happening? Had it all been a dream? Some fantasy he had crafted in desperation to be out of the Dursley household? He didn't have much time to ponder this as the banging on the door repeated and Aunt Petunia railed at him,

"Get up, you lazy thing, you. You need to finish with the breakfast."

Harry threw off the one thin blanket and pushed open the cupboard door, crawling out of the small space and getting to his feet. He was feeling heartbroken and desperate. How could all of that have been a dream? How could he have gone through so much of a life, over seventeen years, in just the space of a few hours?

As he slouched his way into the kitchen he found his aunt, his Uncle Vernon and his dreadful cousin Dudley all there staring at him.

"What's your problem, boy? Wipe that sullen look off your face and get to work. I'm already behind my time and you have your chores to attend to," Uncle Vernon said with his usual disdain.

As Harry walked over to the range to see what Aunt Petunia had started, and nearly ruined, he saw the overlarge gray dyed cast offs of Dudley's that were to serve as Harry's school uniform starting tomorrow. His sense of despair had heightened. There would be no escape to the hallowed halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry each September. There would be no reprieve during the summer months by fleeing to the Burrow. There would be no Ron or Hermione or Ginny. How could he have dreamed all of that? Had he started to lose his mind? Was the abuse of the last ten years finally taking its toll?

After rescuing breakfast and serving it, without thanks of course, Harry ignored the comments, then demands, that he return and get to work. He walked numbly out the door and began wandering aimlessly through the neighborhood. He barely recognized that he was passing the house of Mrs. Figg, who it seemed was nothing more than an eccentric cat breeder and not the undercover squib and member of the secret Order of the Phoenix. His depression didn't worsen at this point since it had no where lower to go.

His wanderings finally brought him to the small playground where once he spotted what he thought was a large black dog which turned out to be his godfather, Sirius Black. No, wait, that was part of the dream, too. There was no dog, no Sirius, no connection back to his, he supposed, rather ordinary mother and father, dead nearly ten years. As he mulled over the lost fantasy of his extraordinary life as a powerful wizard his thoughts were interrupted by the all too familiar, and hated, sneer of his cousin.

"Hey, Pottie. You better get home right now. Mum and Dad are really mad at you for walking out without doing your chores."

Harry looked up at the fat round face, with the little pig-like eyes and nose and he brightened just a touch and only briefly, at the thought of his overstuffed cousin running around the battered old house on that island in the sea with a curly little pig tail sticking out of his pants. He also saw that Dudley had taken the time to gather up his gang of like minded thugs. Harry laughed a bit, but bitterly, at the idea that his cousin, who was probably twice his size, still needed the backing of four more near Neanderthals.

"Get lost, Dudley. I'll be back when I decide to come back. Or maybe I'll do you all a favor and run away and join the circus or something."

"Yeah," drawled one of the others. "You'd make a good addition to someone's freak show."

This got a good laugh from the whole gang but only served to light a fire in Harry's mind. Ten years of continual abuse had indeed taken its toll and Harry had reached the end of his rope. Whatever happened afterwards the abuse ended here. He stood up and squared himself to the group of five larger boys. Dudley as usual was at the fore with the others ranged behind him. Admittedly, Harry was scared to death but at some point he had gone through the fear and come out the other side to where he just didn't care anymore.

As he looked at the five thugs he could feel something building up inside him. He did remember the times when those funny things happened when he was angry or scared. And he had never been more of both as he was right now.

"Come on, squirt. Get moving or I'll drag you the whole way home," Dudley said, advancing on Harry while flexing his big meaty paws.

"Lay a hand on me and I promise you you'll regret it," Harry managed to squeeze out between clenched teeth.

This got another laugh from the whole gang and by then Dudley was within arm's length so he just clamped his big hand down on Harry's shoulder with the intention of squeezing his smaller cousin into submission. Harry swung his hand to try and slap Dudley away but the bigger boy was already back pedaling and gripping his hand in pain. To his gang mates it looked as if Harry had inflicted real pain on their leader.

One of the four rushed forward looking to tackle Harry but he failed as his target slipped sideways and appeared to push him to the side. The result was rather dramatic with the larger fellow flying sideways, crashing into the steel merry-go-round and landing on the ground in a limp heap.

"Get the little rotter," Dudley growled.

The three remaining boys looked indecisive. Their leader was holding his wrist in obvious agony. One of their own was lying unresponsive on the ground. Finally deciding that numbers would win the day, they fanned out and tried to come at Harry from three different directions. Again he danced to one side and shoved one of the thugs, obtaining results far beyond what his meager muscles should have provided. The boy Harry pushed hurtled into the one next to him and they went down in a tangle, punctuated by the sounds of cracking and screams.

The third of the thugs and the only one left standing had overshot Harry and in turning to try and come at him from behind, saw what happened to his two friends. Standing there, he gawked in amazement and something flipped the switch from fight to flee and the boy turned and began to run. Unfortunately, or not, depending on your point of view, he hadn't looked first and he ran head on into a steel support pole for the slide and knocked himself senseless. Had Harry had the chance to think clearly he would have been amazed and somewhat appalled at the carnage he had created. Instead, he was breathing like a bellows with sweat pouring off his face, far more than the mild exertion so far should have produced. He turned back to face Dudley who was doing his best to back away but he was like the little bird from the old stories, frozen in fear in the face of the deadly serpent.

The only thought that Harry could muster through the chaotic swirling of his mind was that he wanted Dudley to go away, now and forever. Acting on instinct he raised both hands in front of him as he faced his terrified cousin and shouted in a voice that would most likely have been heard in London,

"GO AWAY!"

A double beam of bright white plasma leaped from his hands and impinged on Dudley's bulk. The immediate reaction was for the boy to first shrink in on himself and then rapidly expand until he exploded in a bright white flash, leaving no trace behind. As Harry stood panting, sweating, his hands hot and steaming, he heard voices shouting,

"Harry, Harry!"

Harry Potter, wizard, teacher, explorer and warrior, bolted upright in his bed in the large room he shared with his wife, Ginny, in their expansive country home known as Meadow Crest. His face was coated in a sheen of sweat and his breathing was fast and shallow. Without his glasses his eyes were wide and slightly unfocused. Out of habit he scrabbled with one hand on his nightstand to find his newer, more stylish round, wire framed glasses and fumbled them on to his face. He looked around and finally his eyes came to light on Ginny, who was also sitting up in bed, her wealth of red hair tousled, her bright brown eyes wide with alarm and concern.

"Sweetheart, whatever is the matter? You were shouting in your sleep."

"What? Oh, Ginny, it's you. Oh, for the love of Merlin," he said as his head slumped forward into this hands. "What a nightmare. It was horrible."

"What was it? Was it about the forest and what happened there?" she asked, reaching out to take hold of one arm, feeling the heat through the sleeve of his pyjamas.

"No, nothing like that."

Before he could begin to describe his nightmare, a faintly luminous figure walked in through the otherwise closed door to the bedroom. Her face was a mask of concern and she walked quickly to stand by Harry's bedside.

"My goodness, children. I could hear you down the hall, and without any of my usual help," Lily said.

"Harry's had a nightmare," Ginny said. "He was yelling in his sleep and then he came awake."

"Harry, darling, are you alright?" Lily asked her son.

"I guess so since I'm back in my own bed and you and Ginny are here, yes, but I'll be haunted by that nightmare for a long, long time."

Lily 'sat' on the edge of the bed, placing an ethereal hand on her son's arm.

"Would it help to talk about it, son?" Lily asked, her voice calm and sympathetic.

"I don't know if it will help but I'm sure you'll want to know about it."

Harry took a deep breath and began to describe his dream to his wife and his mum. Had he taken the time to look at their expressions as he spoke he would have seen Ginny go from concerned to horrified and Lily from calm to a look that would have struck fear into the most hardened warrior. However, as Harry finished the story both women looked exceedingly concerned. Ginny managed to get her arms around Harry but the heat that was still pouring off him made it very uncomfortable. Lily laid a hand along Harry's face and said,

"Harry, dear, why don't you and I take a little walk to the kitchen and get you something cool to drink. It might help settle you down a bit so you can relax."

"What? Oh, yes, good idea, mum," Harry said, a bit distracted. "Ginny, can I bring you back anything?"

At this simple question, Ginny's eyes began to fill and she had to struggle to give a calm response.

"No, that's alright, sweetheart, but thank you for thinking of me. You go with your mum and I'll get the bed straightened up, you managed to kick most of the covers around."

"Oh, sorry about that. Wait 'til I get back and I'll help you," he said.

"Come along, Harry," Lily said and as Harry stood up she took hold of his arm with both her hands. "I'm sure Ginny can get the bed coverings set to rights."

As she said this she and her son were walking along the bed and Lily looked back at Ginny and then gestured meaningfully with her head to the sheets on Harry's side. Ginny looked down and recoiled, her hand going to her mouth. Where Harry's head and hands had been, both the top and bottom sheets and the pillow case had been scorched a dark brown. She had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm herself and then she called out quietly for Dinkle, who immediately appeared in the room.

With the house elf's help it didn't take long to change out the sheets. Dinkle shook his head as he carried the ruined linens out of the bedroom, destined for the rag pile he kept in the laundry room. Lily and Harry had yet to return so Ginny decided to go looking for them. Despite being only a couple of hours past midnight, she was wide awake and not likely to get back to sleep anytime soon. She peeked into both the living room and library but they weren't there. She did find them in the kitchen, sitting across from one another at the little table.

Harry had a glass of pumpkin juice held in both hands on the table in front of him. Lily had a cup of tea on the table in front of her. As Ginny looked at it she saw it was not from the set in the kitchen cupboards and if she concentrated on it the cup and saucer seemed a bit insubstantial. The sound of her slippers scuffing on the floor tiles attracted the attention of mother and son. Harry looked up and smiled a bit, gesturing for Ginny to sit next to him. Ginny took a chair at his side and looked across at the cup and saucer. Lily saw her gaze and said,

"I have no idea how it works, I just know if I think about it, it appears. I thought it might help. Harry and I were just talking about his nightmare and what might have prompted it."

"Did you come up with anything?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I was just having a thought as you came in, luv. Do you remember what we were doing earlier today, well, I guess now it would be yesterday?"

"Um, let's see. You were helping me with some last minute decorating and we wound up going into the attic looking for that one box I couldn't find," she replied.

"Do you remember anything about the attic?"

Ginny thought for a few moments, going back over what they had seen and done as they searched for the box. Then she recalled a comment Harry had made.

"You did mention something about how musty it smelled up there and that you thought that we needed to air the place out and also have the builders in to check to see if any water was getting in," she said.

"Exactly. I remember telling one of the Quidditch campers once that memories could be triggered by all kinds of things and whenever I smelled anything musty it reminded me of when Aunt Petunia was dying those awful cast offs of Dudley's for me to wear to school. That was just before I got my letter to Hogwarts. I was thinking that maybe that was what set me off tonight. Remember I saw the clothes in the kitchen?"

Ginny took hold of his hand and laid her head on his shoulder, taking some comfort from the fact that he was considerably cooler than he had been. Whenever he started throwing off heat like that she feared a repeat of his bout with the 'firestorm' illness.

"I guess some things are just too deep in our minds for us to ever be fully rid of them," she murmured.

This received affirmative responses from both Harry and Lily. Ginny looked across at Harry's mum and saw that her otherwise beautiful face had set into a hard, determined expression. Looking at Harry, Lily said,

"Harry, dear, I need you to try and do something for me."

"Sure, mum, whatever I can."

"I would like you to see if you can arrange for my sister to pay a visit here, alone."

"Excuse me?" Harry responded, clearly shocked.

"I think it's time I had a little chat with Petunia. There are some things that need to be said."

"Well, yes, I can think of any number, Mum, but even if I could think of a way to get her to come, don't you think the shock would be too much for her?" Harry asked.

"Your Aunt Petunia is well aware of many aspects of our world, son. I used to send her letters describing what went on at Hogwarts quite regularly. In hindsight it might have been better had I not. Not being able to be a part of it has a lot to do with her attitude toward us, and you, I'm afraid. I understand it might be difficult but I would ask you to try," Lily said seriously.

"Alright, Mum, I'll see what I can do."

"Do you think you could go back to sleep now, dear?" Lily asked. "You look like you could use some more."

"I think so, Mum. I'll know what to look for if it starts up again. I'll just remember what Dr. Medford taught me," Harry replied.

"Alright, my dears. Off you go, then."

Leaving the tumbler in the basin for Nibs or Kreacher to tend to, Harry walked back to the master bedroom with Ginny holding on to his arm with both of her hands. Lily walked along beside them. When they got to the bedroom door she said,

"Now, you two have a lie in if you can. I'll keep an eye on things and when Abagail wakes up she can see to the children."

"Thanks, Mum, but I'm not sure I'll get that much more sleep, but I will try," Harry said.

"Please do, dear. Sleep well," Lily said and then walked off towards the nursery.

Harry swung the door open and let Ginny guide him back to bed. They crawled under the new sheets and as she had in the past at times like this she reclined against the pillows and pulled Harry to her so that he was resting against her. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and laid a cheek against his hair. They sat like that for some minutes when an idea occurred to Ginny. She let her hands caress her husband as she whispered in his ear,

"You know, sweetheart, I think I have an idea that would help you get to sleep."

"Oh, and what would that be?" he murmured back.

She whispered something directly into his ear and when Harry turned his head to look at her she laughed a wicked little chuckle. It took a while but Harry did fall into a very deep and dreamless sleep and when he did awake far into the next morning he was in a much better frame of mind. This was good since it was the day before Christmas Eve and there was still a fair amount to do to get ready for Christmas at the Burrow. Truth be told, however, Harry's role was ancillary at best. Ginny and Abagail took care of wrapping presents. Nibs and Kreacher saw to the preparation of the Potters' contributions to the feasting so Harry was left to see that the boys and Snuffles stayed out of the way.

It was at times like this that Harry's idea for creating the basement playroom was revealed as the truly inspired thing that it was. With toys and games and a dog that doubled as a horse, professional wrestler and bulldozer, there was no end to the entertainment possibilities. The soundproofing kept the rest of the house peaceful and a truly brilliant addition was made when someone thought to put a couple of fold away cots along one wall. This way when the boys wore themselves out it wasn't necessary to haul them bodily to their rooms. They would just pull themselves up on the cots, snuggle under the provided blankets and take a nap. Harry would sit in a chair provided for the purpose and read something that he had brought along.

Today was no exception and when Angus knocked and walked in around mid-afternoon he found James and Albus sound asleep, Snuffles snoring away like an idling steam locomotive and Harry deep into a volume of something or other.

"Afternoon, Professor."

"Ah, Angus. Good to see you. How have you been getting along?" Harry asked.

"Fine, sir. They let us oout a bit early t'day. They doon't need me upstairs. Thought ai'd come doon and see how ye was gettin' along."

"Well, as you can see, they wore themselves out for the time being. Please, sit down. Tell me how your snitch research is coming along," Harry said.

The young wizard smiled a bit and nodded as he pulled up a folding chair and began to describe what he had come up with so far. At Professor Vector's suggestion he had begun a more rigorous effort to learn more advanced muggle mathematics and he was signed up to audit a night course at a local school starting after the New Year. Harry had to stop Angus several times for more detailed explanations of some of the concepts that the brilliant young wizard was talking about and after an hour or so he thought he had some notion as to what it was all about, but he was still convinced he'd never fully understand it all.

After a while the subject changed and Angus began asking questions about what Harry and the others had uncovered in the Forbidden Forest. He listened in rapt attention as Harry talked about the stone markers, the spiral and the pile of rocks that stood over the cavern. He shook his head slightly as the description of the structure in the cavern and the stone pillar and the lines of power.

"Is a fell place, that forest," Angus said after Harry finished. "Doon't ken that I ever want tae go in there agin."

"What? Hagrid take you in there for classes?" Harry asked.

"Nae, that wasna it. Some classmates convinced me tae goo in there with 'em. We got guit and lost. A Centaur led us oout agin. Professor Hagrid took us to the Head an she gave us what for. Never so scared in m' life. Was in m' second year."

Harry smiled a bit. He could imagine what it must have been like for the sensitive, shy youngster being lost in that forbidding place. He hadn't really intended to include Angus in the search unless they came across runes or some puzzle and now he was glad he hadn't suggested it. They talked for a bit more until the boys woke up and the free-for-all got going again. They were ecstatic to see Angus, or 'Agnes', as James often mispronounced it.

The following day, just past noon the Potter entourage arrived in the back yard of the Burrow. As usual, the three house elves had gotten there during the morning to help with setting up and food preparation. So it was that Harry, carrying James, and Ginny with Albus popped into the yard, followed shortly by Angus and Abagail who were tasked with hauling the bags of gifts. They had all been seen off by Lily who assured them that the house would be watched over. Harry had to laugh a bit to himself about the growing proprietary attitude his mother was developing about the house. He wondered if it was truly a part of her nature or was it somehow attributed to the connection between mother and son and his feelings were rubbing off on her, so to speak.

Such thoughts could wait, however, since the back door to the burrow was thrown open and the happy grandparents came out into the cold but snowless air to gather up their grandchildren. With much hugging and kissing, the happy little crowd made its way into the kitchen of the Burrow to begin the two days of merry mayhem that was a Weasley Christmas.


	53. Chapter 53

Professor Potter, Chapter 53

"Bon soir, mon frere."

"Hi, Fleur," Harry replied from his seat at the end of the Burrow's big kitchen table. "How are my girls doing?"

"Both are sound asleep, 'arry. They are done for the night, I theenk."

Harry had to smile at the thought of the two sisters curled up on the couch, one on each side of their uncle. It appeared that Victoire was indeed going to have to share her 'uncle 'arry'.

"'ow are you feeleeng, 'arry?"

"Um, that's the third time today you've asked me that, Fleur. What's wrong, don't I look it?" he asked with a little grin.

Fleur cocked a finely shaped eyebrow at him, then hooked a finger under his chin to bring his head up and around so she could look him straight in the eye. She turned his head a bit to the left and then right.

"You look like you could use more sleep, mon ami. Thees theeng een the forest, eet concerns you?"

"I don't know enough about it to be concerned yet. But I'm definitely intrigued. I need to get back down there and see if we can figure it out," he said thoughtfully.

"Funny how you started that sentence with 'I' and ended with 'we'," Ron commented almost absently from his seat at the table across from Angus.

Ron and Angus had started the game about an hour before and Harry was watching. El and Percy were playing a game a little further down the table as part of a three person round robin that included Audrey, who was sitting next to Percy waiting for her turn.

"Well, I may have fallen into this one, literally, but I think it's going to take a lot of 'we' to figure it out, if we ever can. Which reminds me, you feel like taking a little hike into the forest?"

"I dunno, Harry," Ron said after making a move. "It's not like I know much about all these weird things you keep coming across."

"True, but then again you didn't know anything about Latin and you were able to see patterns in Merlin's code. You have a great eye for detail and good instincts for what lies hidden in those details."

"Oh, well, when you put it that way. I'll work something out," Ron said with a bit of a grin. "Who else you thinking of having along?"

"Charlie, of course, and Bill if he's interested. I thought Abagail might be helpful as well. If I find anything interesting, others can be consulted. I'd rather not have too many folks traipsing around so close to the Centaurs territory."

As the evening wound down and the chess matches were concluded the adults were gathered in the living room for a final cup of tea and some conversation. The children were tucked away in various rooms, having exhausted themselves. Harry was talking with Ron, Bill and Charlie. The ladies were engaged in their own discussions. Arthur was catching a bit of a nap by the fireplace, he being one of the primary reasons that the grandchildren were all so tired.

"So what's your plan, Harry?" Bill asked.

"I don't know if it's something you'd call a plan yet, Bill, but I'd like to get back there and take a very close look at the place. I didn't investigate all the rooms on the ground floor and it looked like there were a few others further up. And that's not mentioning what might be behind that structure. I'd like to have your help since you're all good at various kinds of field work and looking for the little details."

"I'm in," Bill replied.

"I'm game for going back," Charlie added.

"Count me in," Ron said.

"Um, Ron, I just want you to know that the trail going in runs along the edge of where those big spiders are," Harry said.

"I'd like to think that I've gotten past that, Harry," Ron replied. "Besides, we should have more than enough firepower to handle them."

Harry nodded but noticed that Ron's eyes looked a bit tight as he said it.

"You mentioned something about Abagail," Ron continued.

"Yes, I'm hoping she may be able to pick up something that gives us some idea of the age of the place. It might help us figure out who may have built it and used it."

"Wouldn't that be the same?" Ron asked.

"Initially, but it might have been used by others over time," Harry replied.

And that became the plan. They would go up to the forest the Saturday after the start of Spring term. The day after Christmas, Harry sent a message by owl to Hagrid asking him to notify the Centaurs of their intentions. He sent another message as well.

He had decided he would try a more or less direct approach in trying to bring his Aunt Petunia to the house as his mother had requested. Routed through Mrs. Figg, the message stated that Harry thought that there were things left unsaid from the first visit and it would be in everyone's best interest to discuss them. He deviated a bit from Lily's request by suggesting that Dudley accompany his mother. Harry had decided that there were some issues he needed to settle with his cousin and this seemed like an appropriate time.

He also suggested that it just be Dudley and his aunt, in consideration of Uncle Vernon's health and the likelihood of him taking control of the conversation. He sent the message off, figuring it would be a while before he heard anything. In fact, it only took around forty eight hours for a reply, forwarded by Mrs. Figg, to arrive.

As Harry took the message from Dingle he had a brief thought that he needed to do something for the elderly woman, considering all she had done to help him in those small, but very important ways. The response indicated that if Harry felt it was necessary his aunt and cousin would do him the favor of paying a visit with the expectation that lunch would be involved and why not get it out of the way and do it this coming Saturday at eleven o'clock in the morning.

Harry had to admit he was surprised at the quickness of the response and the generally agreeable tone. But he was glad that he was able to get it arranged and to have it cleared up fairly quickly. When he informed Lily she merely nodded, her expression serious. She gave her son an ethereal kiss on the forehead and said she would talk to him later in the week about how she wanted to approach the meeting. Later that evening Harry was sitting in the library reading when Abagail walked in.

"Hi, Harry," the little witch began brightly, "word is you wanted to talk to me."

"Hello there, little one. Yes, I did. We missed you at dinner."

"I was at Diagon Alley dropping off some of my pendants when I got a message to meet Angus at the Cauldron," she replied.

"How is he getting on?"

"Great. They finally got all those coded files unraveled. A lot of it has been turned over to Mr. Milligan. The word around the Ministry is that if they ever catch the old director up, he's in for a long stretch in Azkaban," she said.

"It's better than he deserves but that's for others to decide. As for you, young lady, I'd like to ask for your help once again."

"Of course, Harry. You know you don't even really have to ask," she replied seriously.

"Be that as it may, I think it's still proper form to ask. We're going to make another trip to that cavern I fell into. Ron, Bill and Charlie are coming with me. I'd like you to come along as well. Your unique abilities might help us unlock some of its secrets."

"Cool. Sure, Harry. I'd be glad to. Plus it's been a long time since I've seen any of the Centaurs. Um, were you thinking of asking Angus to come, too?"

"No. For one thing I'd like to keep the number down plus he's been pretty busy with work. From what little I saw, there were no runes or markings. If we find any we can bring him into it later."

"Oh. Alright," the little witch said, sounding a bit disappointed, "whatever you think is best."

Harry smiled a bit to himself but he wasn't going to say anything about Angus' aversion to the forest. The following day he received confirmation from the Centaurs that he and his companions would be met in the usual spot. He had also been giving some thought to what part his students were going to play in the continuing exploration. He wasn't going to bring them down into the cavern at this point. But since they were concerned about fulfilling the magic requirement of the project he was going to direct them to find out all they could about the leylines as Abagail had called them. He was also going to have them take a closer look at the marking stones to see if there was anything noteworthy about them beyond their placement.

As Saturday approached, the Potter household prepared itself for what would have to be considered, by anyone's measure, an Event with a capital 'E'. Since they didn't need to hide anything from an unknowing muggle like the last time, no extraordinary efforts were made. The house elves were advised to remain inconspicuous and members of the study group were still on holiday so it would be strictly a family affair.

And so it was at just a few minutes past eleven in the morning, Harry caught sight of the only known living relatives that connected him to his past. The hulking figure of Dudley dwarfed his mother who looked even thinner than she had been, even wearing her winter coat. As they neared the bottom of the steps leading up to the portico, Harry opened the front door and stepped out to greet them.

"Aunt Petunia, Dudley, thank you for coming."

"It's not us you need to thank, Harry," Aunt Petunia replied somewhat stiffly. "Mary badgered us unmercifully for nearly a full day after your message arrived. It seems the girl has taken a liking to you and your family and wants us to resolve our differences," she concluded, her tone speaking volumes about such an eventuality.

Dudley just shrugged and smiled a bit, regarding Harry with that same cautious, questioning look that he always seemed to wear around his cousin.

"Please, come in and get out of the cold," Harry said, stepping aside to let them pass.

They walked into the entry hall and Harry took their coats, placing them in the closet under the stairs. As he turned around after closing the door he saw Aunt Petunia quickly glance away. Harry led them to the living room where Ginny was waiting for them. Under other circumstances Harry would have shaken his head, seeing the look in Ginny's eyes. While her face was set in a mild expression, her eyes were tight and hard.

"Aunt Petunia, Dudley, you remember my wife, Ginny."

"Yes, indeed," Aunt Petunia replied and then continued before Ginny could respond. "Well, Harry, you've got us here and you have an ally in Mary so why don't we just get to the point and you tell us what it is you think we need to discuss."

"Alright, Aunt Petunia, but first I'd like a few moments to speak with you privately. Dudley, would you mind going with Ginny into the library? I'd really appreciate it," Harry said mildly.

Dudley and his mother exchanged a look and Harry had to smile openly this time as he said,

"Don't worry. There aren't any evil intentions here. Not after all these years."

Aunt Petunia just shrugged a bit and gestured with her head that Dudley should leave. Harry's cousin nodded once and followed Ginny out of the room. She gave her husband a tight little smile as she passed. When they were alone Harry said, gesturing to a chair,

"Please, Aunt Petunia, make yourself comfortable."

Without her coat on, she did indeed look thinner and a bit frail.

"Have you been well, Aunt Petunia?" he asked.

"I get by, Harry," she replied. "Dealing with your Uncle Vernon these past years hasn't been easy. Not that it ever was," she added almost to herself. "He was more than happy not to have needed to make this trip. But we aren't here to talk about my health. What is it you want?"

"Well, the first thing is that the last time that you were all here, Uncle Vernon asked me to keep closer contact with Dudley. He wasn't sure why but he thought that it would be a good idea," Harry explained.

"Fine. That's between you and Dudley. Why do you think you need to talk to me?" his aunt asked, seemingly annoyed.

"I intend to have a chat with Dudley in just a bit, Aunt Petunia, but someone else had asked me to do something for them so that they could talk to you."

"And just who might that be?" Petunia asked with a scowl.

"That would be me, sister dear."

As Petunia offered up her biting question, Harry had seen his mother's image begin to coalesce behind the chair where his aunt was sitting. Petunia froze, her eyes wide and frightened. Lily walked around the chair and came to stand in front of her sister, without blocking Harry's view.

"Hello, Petunia. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Lily?" was all she could get out.

"Yes, Petunia," Lily replied patiently.

"Are…are you a ghost?" Petunia asked in a hushed tone.

"Not like those at Hogwarts that I wrote to you about. This is something different. Something to do with how I died and all that Harry has been through. As long as he lives I'll be able to do this."

"Why? After all this time? Why do you want to talk to me?" Petunia asked, her voice a bit stronger as the shock began to subside.

"My son, your nephew, occasionally suffers from some rather traumatic recollections of his childhood. The last one occurred only recently and I was there to witness the aftermath. A few things came to mind that I decided I wanted to share with you. They include words like 'odious' and 'loathsome'. But this is better done in private. Harry, dear, I think this would be a good time for you to leave us alone. Why don't you go and have your talk with Dudley. I'll let you know when we are finished here. And please close the door when you leave."

"Certainly, Mum," Harry said as he stood up and made his way out of the room. He began to pull the rarely used sliding door closed when he heard his mother say,

"He's such a wonderful boy, isn't he?"

Any reply that Petunia might have made was cut off as the door shut. He walked to the library and as he entered he saw Dudley sitting stiffly on the couch while Ginny sat in Harry's favorite chair. Neither were speaking.

"Oh, there you are, sweetheart," Ginny said as she got up. "I'll leave you two alone. I better go check on the boys."

She gave Harry a kiss on the cheek as she went by and left the room without a word or look at Dudley. Harry sat down in his chair, taking a moment to revel in the warmth and scent that Ginny left behind. The he looked across at Dudley. His cousin looked at the now closed door and then back at Harry.

"It's pretty obvious she doesn't like me very much," he said.

"Ginny has very strong feelings one way or another and she's not very good a hiding them. Usually it means she showers everyone around her with love but the negative side will come out now and again if she thinks she has cause," Harry explained.

Dudley just nodded and Harry could see that same look he had come to recognize as Dudley's apprehension.

"The first thing I want to tell you, Dudley, is you don't have to worry about me using my abilities to get even with you in some way. First of all, that sort of thing is very illegal in our world. Secondly, you and Aunt Petunia are the only living link to my past, at least a part of it, so I'm not inclined to damage that connection in any way. So do me a favor and stop acting like you think I'm going to blast you at any moment," Harry finished with a smirk.

Harry watched as a little tension eased from Dudley's posture but not a lot. Harry shrugged inwardly a bit. It was a start.

"The other thing that I wanted to talk about was that your father asked me to make an effort to stay in contact with you. He seemed to think it would be a good idea and there also may be a practical reason to do it."

"What's that?" Dudley asked, his eyebrows pulling together.

"My mother, your aunt, doesn't necessarily have to be the only Evans with magical ability. It can skip generation after generation and pop up seemingly out of nowhere. If it shows up in any of your kids it could be helpful to have someone close at hand to advise you."

Whether or not this had ever occurred to Dudley before, it certainly seemed to get his attention now. His eyebrows shot up and he sat back on the couch a bit.

"I assume you haven't said anything to Mary about us, the magical part, I mean."

"No, not at all."

"That's your decision, of course, but should it occur I trust you'll let us know about it. We could be a big help," Harry said and then he leaned forward and added more quietly. "And I expect you'd do a better job of it than you did with me."

Dudley tensed up again.

"Speaking of Mary," Harry said, suddenly changing the subject and his tone of voice, "where did you two meet?"

"Oh," Dudley said in surprise, but looking a bit happier at the chance to talk about something more pleasant. "She started working at that little place near the factory. I go there for lunch every day. She started teasing me about my size. Saying things like not having enough food to fill me up, stuff like that. She's the first one to ever do that."

"I'm not surprised. The kids were afraid of you and your gang and I imagine people at the factory wouldn't do that because you're the boss' son," Harry said.

Dudley just nodded a bit.

"So, when you get home, talk to Mary and if you want to come out for a visit, let us know and we'll set something up."

"Ok, Harry," Dudley said and then a thought occurred to him. "Um, if you're in here talking to me, who's talking to Mum?"

"I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a bit to find that out, Duds. For now just know she's fine and it's a really important conversation."

Dudley didn't look convinced but he wasn't going to argue the point. He also didn't get the chance. The conversation was interrupted at this point by a knock on the library door.

"Yes?" Harry called out.

"Harry, it's me, can I come in?" came the barely audible reply.

"It's Abagail," Harry told Dudley, "do you mind?"

Dudley just shook his head.

"Come in, little one."

The door swung in and the diminutive witch entered. She came up to stand at Harry's side and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"I heard we had company so I came to say hello. You're Dudley, aren't you?"

"That's right," Dudley replied.

"Is your wife here? I remember her from the last time. She's was very nice," Abagail said as she sat down near Harry.

"No, she's not. She's home with my Dad. It's just me and my mum," Dudley replied.

He shifted uneasily on the couch as the little witch regarded him intently with her head cocked slightly to the side. To take the pressure off his cousin, Harry asked him some questions about how Uncle Vernon was doing and how things were getting on at the factory.

"Physically, he's doing better. He's keeping the weight off and with the exercise he has to take, his heart is getting a bit stronger, but he still has to be careful. He's only coming in to work half days. He starts later in the morning and leaves around mid-afternoon. He stays mostly in his office, too," Dudley said, then looking down at his hands clasped in his lap, he added, "I think it sounds kind of disrespectful but things seem to run more smoothly without him being around and yelling so much."

Harry didn't find that hard to believe at all. The two cousins talked for a while longer, mostly about unimportant matters. Things like who was still in the neighborhood, where Dudley and Mary were living, which turned out to be not far from Privet Drive and their plans for a house of their own. They weren't keeping track of the time but eventually a knock on the library door followed by a request to return to the living room from a squeaky voice brought the discussion to a halt. As the three walked towards the now open door to the living room, Harry said,

"I'm not sure what to expect, Dudley, but try not to act too surprised."

As he let his cousin precede him he could see the quizzical look on the young man's face.

"Ah, there you are, children. Come right in," Lily's said.

To Dudley's credit he didn't pull up short when he saw Lily standing to one side of the spacious room. It should be understood, however, that at that moment he had no idea who he was looking at. There had been no pictures of his 'disgraced' aunt anywhere in the house as he was growing up and Harry had never shared his magical photo album that he had received from Hagrid. What he could see was his mother, seated in a chair, looking pale and very subdued.

"Mum, are you alright?" Dudley asked.

"What? Oh, I suppose so, in a manner of speaking," Petunia replied.

"Who is this, Mum? Why are you talking to her?"

"I'm your Aunt Lily, Dudley, dear."

This did bring Dudley up short. He stared at the red haired woman who looked solid and substantial, her face serious and her green eyes regarding him intently.

"You can't be. She's dead. Has been for years," he said in a rush.

"I'm afraid it's true, my dear, as your mother can confirm. She and I have had a nice chat but I wanted to meet you before I have to go. I never had the chance when you were small," Lily said.

Dudley looked to his mother.

"It's true, son. That is Lily, my sister, as she was. It would appear the world is far stranger than we ever thought," Petunia said.

Harry thought his aunt didn't know the half of it.

"Harry, dear," Lily said. "We'll talk about this later but I wanted to thank you for arranging this for me. It was very important."

"Of course, Mum. I was glad to do it."

Lily smiled at her son and then said,

"Good bye for now, Petunia. Be well," Lily said and then faded from view.

Dudley turned to Harry, emotions warring on his face.

"You brought us out here so my mother had to talk to a ghost?" he asked, an edge in his voice.

"I asked Aunt Petunia to be here at my Mum's request. You're here for other reasons as we discussed," Harry replied calmly.

"Let it lie, Dudley," Petunia interjected. "It served a purpose. We'll discuss it later."

After a moment Harry said,

"All things considered, is anyone interested in lunch? The offer still stands."

"Nothing for me," Petunia replied, "but I will take a cup of tea."

Dudley likewise turned down the offer. It was perhaps a half an hour later, bolstered by two cups of strong tea, that Harry's aunt stood up and signaled it was time to leave by saying,

"I won't thank you for this day, Harry, at least not now. But I suppose I can understand your part in it. Not that I expect it to change things all that much."

"I think I can understand that, Aunt Petunia. But thank you for coming out."

After escorting his aunt and cousin to the door, Harry returned to find Ginny and the boys in the living room along with Abagail.

"How are you doing, Harry?" Ginny asked as she came up and gave him a hug.

"Doing fine, I guess. Mum got the chance she wanted to talk to Aunt Petunia. That's all that really mattered."

"Do you have any idea what they talked about?" Ginny asked.

"I have a few ideas but as to specifics, we'll have to wait and see if Mum decides she wants to tell us."

That revelation would be a while in coming.

With the matter of his aunt and cousin behind him, Harry was able to focus on getting back to school and the follow up trip to the cavern. He arranged to meet with his team the evening before classes started. It was evident they were relieved to see him.

"Thanks for letting us know you were alright, Professor," Huddleford said, "but we've been dying to know what you found and what happened."

Harry explained what had occurred once he had gotten his bearings after falling through the floor of the passage. His description of his encounter with the leylines raised some eyebrows. Looking at them he smiled and said,

"Yes, pretty amazing stuff. And that's where I want you to concentrate your efforts for the time being. Use the library here and if need be, my own, to see what you can uncover about these lines. I think they are at the core of this whole thing. Also, take a closer look at those stone markers and see if there's anything to them beyond just being markers. Morgotta might be of help there. Between those two topics you should be able to satisfy the magic requirement of the project.

"What about exploring the cavern?" asked Smithson.

"Until I'm sure of what's going on down there, it's off limits," Harry replied, raising a hand to quell any objections. "I have some seasoned researchers that are going to help me. If we don't find any more trouble you'll get your chance."

The trio of students weren't thrilled but at least they had hopes of getting into the cavern. After a busy week Harry and Abagail met his brothers outside of Hagrid's hut and they got ready to head into the forest. Hagrid was standing inside the doorway of his small house, a huge tea mug held in one hand.

"Try ta come out on yer own two feet, will ya, Harry?"

"I'll do my best, Hagrid," Harry said with a laugh and a wave.

The little troop made its way down the familiar trail from Hagrid's to the small clearing. There they were met by Bane, Ronin and Morgotta. Harry greeted them with a raised hand.

"Hail, friends, and well met."

"Hail, Serpent King," the three Centaurs chorused.

"And well met to your companions," Ronin added.

"Allow me to introduce my brothers Bill and Ron. Charlie you've already met, of course. Bill is up at Hogwarts and Ron is with the Ministry as an Auror," Harry said.

"The younger one named Ron is recognized as the Serpent King's companion from the earliest days. We are familiar with the Professor and we welcome back the one called Charlie," Ronin said with a nod to all three. "And we also recall the gifted one. The small warrior with the voice like a breeze."

"Hello again, Bane, Ronin," Abagail said softly and then she shifted her gaze to the female Centaur, "and, um…"

"I am Morgotta, young human."

"It's very nice to meet you, ma'am," Abagail said, looking up at Morgotta.

"It is said that you possess significant mind powers, young human."

"Um, yes, ma'am," Abagail replied tentatively.

"One would strongly suggest you not make use of those abilities on any of the herd," Morgotta said.

"No, ma'am, I wouldn't do that."

Harry had to smile to himself, thinking what Abagail might 'see' considering the herd mentality of the Centaurs.

"And you, Serpent King," Morgotta continued. "You are recovered?"

"Yes, I am," Harry said, "and thank you, Friend Morgotta. I was asked to pass on to your healer the compliments of the Hogwarts healer for she was that impressed by the level of care I received."

"I will do so."

Harry suggested that it was time for them to be moving. Harry took the lead, walking besides Ronin. It was a cold morning and there was snow here and there along the path depending on the density and type of trees. Even the Centaurs had donned short jackets. As they walked along Morgotta called ahead to Harry.

"Serpent King. What of the other three, your students?"

"I thought it wiser to leave them at the castle until we're sure it is safe. I gave them some research to do regarding the lines of power and those stone markers. They might be asking for your help in the days ahead," Harry replied over his shoulder.

"They shall have it," she replied.

As they neared the edge of the territory of the giant spiders, Harry let his senses probe the trees to either side. He had no idea how well they respected presumed borders. He could get no feel for them. After a few minutes he heard Ronin say,

"It would appear that the eight legged ones are not about this morning."

"I would say you are right. Perhaps it is too cold for them," Harry replied.

"Or perhaps they encountered something here that they do not wish to do so again," Ronin offered, looking down at him.

Harry simply nodded. One group he would never offer a shrug to would be the Centaurs. He also wondered how Ron was doing being this close to his old fears. Eventually they came to the place where they needed to move off the trail. Harry noticed the small area showing signs of much more traffic.

"You notice the beginnings of a trail, do you not, Serpent King?" Ronin inquired.

"Yes."

"Since the day of discovery we have kept a watch on the cavern and its surroundings. It is an odd place."

"Odd? How so, Friend Ronin?" Harry asked.

"It is a place devoid of sound, Friend Harry Potter, and of movement. While trees grow there, nothing else does for many paces in every direction. No animals live or travel near it. Not even insects."

"Could that just be because it's winter?" Harry asked.

"No, Serpent King. In every other part of the forest, even in the coldest of times, something can be heard or seen to move. But not this place."

As they drew nearer to the now visible pile of stones and boulders, Harry noticed how deathly still the air was. He didn't bother trying to use his dragon senses since that just tended to shut down the whole forest around him anyway. As they got close to the opening in the rocks Harry turned to the others and said,

"Well, here we are. How about we fan out and look around the exterior for a bit. We didn't do much of that the first time."

"Harry," Charlie began, "can you still feel whatever it is you were feeling before?"

"Oh, yes, it's still there."

The group broke up and began walking around the pile. Bill and Charlie were closely examining how the boulders and stones were fitted together. Harry and Ron were looking around on the ground. Abagail stood at the entrance with one hand on the rock, her eyes half closed. Morgotta stood nearby watching her intently. Eventually she took her hand off the rock and looked around, her gaze falling on the Centaur.

"Does stone have a consciousness you can sense?" Morgotta asked.

"Not that I'm aware of, but sometimes events or even people can leave an impression. I got a sense of what I think was what happened to Harry the last time, but nothing else. I don't think anyone has been here in a very long time."

Morgotta simply nodded. It was perhaps an hour later when the group reassembled.

"Well, I'm no expert but I'd say this is not just a jumble of boulders. There doesn't appear to be any tool marks but someone took great care as to what rocks they used and how they were placed. How long ago is anyone's guess."

"Harry and I didn't notice anything other than how clean it is, I'd guess you'd say," Ron said. "We didn't see any sign of old leaves or pine needles, sticks or anything. It's like the ground has been swept clean."

"How about you, little one?" Harry asked Abagail.

"I thought I picked up something associated with the other time you were here. It sort of felt like you but with a big push behind it."

"Sounds like a fairly accurate description of what happened," Harry said with a grin. "Alright, why don't we see what we can do inside?"

Each of the wizards produced a wand and called up a 'lumos' spell to light their way. When they reached the hole that Harry had left behind, instead of the gapping opening, they found there was a bridge of sorts created with a number of long wooden poles lashed together. The bridge spanned the gap the full width of the passage and well before and after the edges of the hole. Morgotta was the only Centaur to have entered the passage. Harry looked back at her.

"It was decided not to leave such a hazard, Serpent King. It was also thought that you would be returning so this was constructed."

"I appreciate that very much, Friend Morgotta. I thought we were going to have to do a lot of levitating," Harry replied with a grin.

"I would recommend only one cross at a time," she offered.

Harry nodded and stepped onto the wooden bridge. As he walked across his relatively light frame produced no motion or flexing of the poles. In fact, the only one who had any noticeable affect was the Centaur and this was not profound. She hugged one wall of the passage and the bridge protested only a little. When they were safely on the other side, Harry suggested Bill join him up front.

"I'd think you'd have a better eye for any traps or curses," Harry explained.

Outwardly, the walls were a plan unadorned rock showing the same carefully fitted joints as the outside. They could feel the floor begin to slope gently downward and the point was clearly evident where the pile of rock ended and 'underground' began. For those who had not been down in the cavern, this new section of the passage was indeed strange. It looked unnaturally smooth but yet unworked by tools. Abagail brushed her hand along the surface and said to no one in particular,

"It looks and feels like it was moulded.

"I didn't pay much attention when I went down after Harry the last time, but I do remember thinking about how smooth the floor was," Charlie said.

The small party of explorers walked for another fifty paces or so and came to a dead end. The surface of the wall looked no different than the rest of the tunnel and there didn't appear to be any seams in the corners.

"Let's check the walls, floor and ceiling for anything that looks out of place," Bill suggested.

They fanned out a bit and began to closely examine the surfaces. Abagail took the floor and Morgotta the ceiling. The Centaur was the first to spot an anomaly.

"Serpent King, there is something here perhaps."

Harry walked over to where the Centaur stood and looked at what she was indicating with an extended hand.

"Perhaps it is my own vision but the coloring appears slightly different and oddly shaped," Morgotta said.

Harry looked up at a spot just below where the arc of the ceiling and the vertical side wall met. It was true that there did appear to be a subtle shift in the hue of the rock but it was difficult to discern and he couldn't be sure if it was just wishful thinking or perhaps had something to do with his own less than perfect vision.

"Guys, can you come over and have a look at this?"

The brothers came over and used their wands to further light the spot. Bill was looking this way and that and finally said,

"We may be using too much light and are washing everything out. Douse your wands."

The others let their wands wink out and using just his at a lower output, Bill began to look again. He nodded his head and said,

"I think Morgotta is right. It looks like something has lightly stained the surface here. Can you see it, Harry?"

Peering intently at the spot Harry thought he saw what Bill was indicating and then he decided to try something. He let the dragon, who up until now had been nearly absent from Harry's consciousness, come to the surface. He knew from the altered field of view that his eyes had changed and as the dragon senses took over, the spot on the wall was much clearer. It looked like a handprint, although the fingers seemed thicker and the thumb oddly placed. This could just be the result of many different handprints over time forming a kind of composite.

"Yes, it's there. It's a handprint. Can you check it for curses or something, Bill?" Harry asked.

"Absolutely," Bill said as he slipped his work bag, as he called it, off his shoulder and removed several implements.

He spent about fifteen minutes checking the area around the print before saying,

"Nothing that I can find."

"Alright, who wants to be the first to give it a try? Sometimes I think I monopolize all the fun," Harry said with a lopsided grin.

He had a feeling he knew where this was heading but he wanted the others to have a chance. Bill shrugged and placed his hand over the spot and held it there for a moment but nothing happened. Charlie and Ron also tried without success. Abagail and Morgotta declined the offer. In the subdued light of Bill's wand the rest of the group regarded Harry as he moved back into position and regarded the spot above his head. Reaching up he placed his hand on the faint print and there was no reaction.

He brought the dragon back up and mentally suggested that the party needed to move on. He felt the rock grow cold beneath his hand accompanied by a faint tingle that flowed up to his wrist. A soft sigh was heard at the end of the tunnel and all the wands flared with renewed 'lumos' spells.

"Something moved," Ron said. "There's a faint line all the way around and some dust has settled on the floor."

"Well, Harry, it seems you have the magic touch as they say," Bill commented. "Why not give it another go?"

Harry walked up to the rock face and ran his hand over the surface. Not knowing how the mass of rock might be hinged or balanced, he picked a few spots and pushed with one hand. He thought he felt a bit of movement when he pushed on a spot near the left side. He placed both hands flat on the stone and with a bit of the dragon, pushed hard. The stone mass moved easily and smoothly. Harry had to catch himself from over balancing and falling forward. As light flooded past the 'door' the space behind it was revealed to be a square chamber that was just big enough to accommodate the swing of the slab. To the left was a spiral staircase leading downwards. Harry looked over his shoulder and asked,

"Morgotta, what do you think?"

The Centaur strode forward and looked at the stone stairs.

"If it remains as such to the bottom, I should be able to squeeze through."

"I'll check and let you know," he said.

"Uh, hang on there, mate. It looks wide enough for two," Ron said. "I'll come along."

"Alright, let's go," Harry replied.

The two friends and brothers walked side by side down the spiraled steps. Harry noticed that the stone was the same as it had been elsewhere, smooth and seamless.

"Reminds you of the Gryffindor tower," he said.

"Maybe if we spent a lifetime filling all the joints and polishing it smooth," Ron replied, looking around him.

Harry laughed a bit and nodded.

"So what do you think, mate?" Ron asked.

"Haven't a clue, Ron. It looks too regular to be natural but how it was done, I have no idea. But then again I know next to nothing about tunneling or mining."

Ron ran his hand over the smooth surface.

"I wonder if they cut it out and then did something to smooth the surface," he mused.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Harry replied.

After a couple of complete spirals the staircase ended at an opening, the space beyond cloaked in darkness. Harry called up,

"It's clear all the way down."

Quickly the sound of foot steps accompanied the clatter of hooves as the rest of the party descended. Harry and Ron stepped out into the larger chamber and brought their wands up to full intensity. The opening was located along a side wall. To their left appeared to be the back side of the structure where Harry had found the pillar. To their right whatever end of the chamber their might be was lost in the darkness. The ceiling seemed to be a shallow curve with the peak at a constant fifty feet or so. Harry boosted his wand and sharpened its light to a beam the swept slowly around the space. At the far end the blank expanse of a wall appeared.

"This is quite a large space," Abagail murmured. "Do you think people lived in here or was it more like a meeting place, an auditorium?"

"It could be both, either or something so different we have no idea, little one," Harry replied. "That structure has some small rooms that I guess a person could live in but this," he indicated with his hand and then shrugged. "Bill, why don't you and Charlie and Ron take a look down that way," he gestured to the far end. "I'd like Abagail to take a look at that pillar. Morgotta, would you like to come with us?"

"Gladly, Serpent King. I am most curious about this artifact," she replied.

"If we find something we'll let you know, Harry," Bill said. "We'll send up some sparks or something."

"Why not just shout? The sound should carry well enough down here," Harry replied.

"I don't think so, Harry. Haven't you noticed? No echo."

Harry looked at Bill and then turned and shouted,

"Oi!"

It sounded loud enough but there was indeed no echo. It was as if the sound was swallowed by the darkness.

"Odd," he said. "Alright, we'll look for something visual."

With a nod, the three brothers turned and headed for the far end of the chamber, the lighted wands casting bobbing blobs of light as they walked. Harry led the others toward the structure, his wand providing more than enough light but Abagail added her own anyway. As they neared the featureless face of what Harry considered to be the rear of the structure, Morgotta said,

"It appears as part of the very rock itself. As if the chamber was fashioned around it."

"I suppose that's possible," Harry said. "I wonder what kind of rock this is."

"I read somewhere that Scotland has a lot of different kinds of rock," Abagail said. "When we got back home I'll see what I can find out. Somehow I get the feeling it wouldn't be wise to try and take a sample."

"Truly," Morgotta agreed.

The trio walked to the right and used the small but sufficient space between the chamber wall and the side of the structure to get around to the front.

"Looks like a row of small flats along the bottom, Harry," Abagail said as she counted. "Eleven."

"I only got as far as the middle one, sixth along. That's where the pillar is. Would you like to see what you can sense about one of the rooms, little one?"

"Sure, Harry."

Abagail walked up to the entrance of the first room, placing her hand on the edge of the doorway. She let her eyelids droop as she opened herself up. She stayed that way for a few minutes, then stepped back. She looked back at Harry.

"There was something, Harry, but very vague. Almost not there. I didn't want to push it."

"Good idea. I'd like you to make your best effort with the pillar. Let's see what we can find there," Harry replied.

They moved directly to the sixth room and looked in. As he had found it, the pillar stood in the center of the room unadorned and apparently lifeless. They walked into the room and stood in a semi-circle before it at arms length.

"What do you think, Morgotta? Have you ever seen anything like it?" Harry asked.

"I have never seen its like, Serpent King, but seeing this one strikes a chord. I cannot grasp it but I will think on it and discuss it with the other lore masters," she replied.

"Let me check something first, little one."

Harry placed both hands on the pillar and let the dragon rise a bit. He could 'see' the leylines and they were as they had been. Two crossing and a third a distance away. He was confident that Abagail did not have anywhere near enough power to get into any trouble. At least not with the lines.

"Alright, little one," he said as he took his hands away.

Abagail stepped closer and placed her hand on the pillar and closed her eyes once more. Her head dipped and she stood for some minutes. Then her free hand came up and reached over towards Harry. He took hold of it and he could feel her drawing strength from him.

"Touch the pillar, Harry," she said in a barely audible, but gruff, whisper.

He did so and immediately a vague vision danced in front of his eyes. He closed them and tried to focus. Once more he let the dragon rise and the vision cleared. He saw the room as if he was behind and above it, up in the corner between the ceiling and the front wall. Standing in a circle around the pillar was a ring of people, or so he assumed. There were eleven in all. The figures were dressed in heavy robes, all a similar plain dull beige. The robes completely covered whoever was, or had been, wearing them. The hem touched the floor and the hoods were deeply cowled and showed nothing of their faces. They held their arms straight out from the shoulder with the edges of the sleeves touching that of the figure on either side, making the circle complete.

He assumed that they were chanting or praying or something because of the modulated vibration he was feeling more than hearing. He also found it interesting that in the vision the pillar was glowing. The glow was the same color as the pillar but translucent and appeared to extend about a handspan for the stone surface. He watched and 'listened' for a few moments longer and then the image began to waver and he felt Abagail's grip weaken.

Before he could react her hand slipped from his and the image vanished. As he turned to grab her he saw he was too late. Morgotta was already scooping the little witch up.

"Fear not, Serpent King. I have her," Morgotta said.

Cradled in the Centaur's arms, Abagail's head wobbled a bit and her eyelids fluttered. After a moment or two, her eyes opened and she looked around owlishly and she said,

"Wow."

Then she looked up into the face of the Centaur, who's stern visage was softened somewhat.

"Oh, hi," the girl whispered.

"Greetings to you, young human. It would seem you have overextended yourself."

"I think so," she said and then she looked at Harry.

"Did you see that, Harry?"

"If you mean the sight of nearly a dozen figures in robes standing around the pillar and it glowing, yes," Harry replied.

"Yes, exactly that, Harry. It felt really, really, old. Way older than that early vision of Merlin," she said.

Morgotta looked at Harry questioningly at the naming of Merlin.

"A tale to be told at a later date," Harry said.

"Oops, sorry, Harry," Abagail said, abashed.

"No worries, little one. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Fortunately, there is no one more trustworthy with a secret than a Centaur," he said.

Morgotta bowed her head in response to Harry's praise.

"Let's get her outside and she can have something to eat and drink. That usually brings her around."

"As you say, Serpent King."

With Morgotta taking the lead and still carrying Abagail, they left the pillar room and settled down on a spot near the opening for the room they had first examined. Despite the cold outside, the chamber was only moderately cool. Harry took off his pack and opened it. He took out a wool blanket and spread it on the floor, then had the Centaur place Abagail on it. He had the girl sit on one edge and he draped the rest of it around her shoulders. He then took out a small muggle hiking stove that was powered by a small gas cylinder. Next came a pot, a small pan, several packages of food, two flasks of water and several other packages. Morgotta had settled to the floor and watched with interest.

"You must be most proficient in how you pack, Serpent King. One would think that all those items would not fit into such a small bag," she said.

"Acutally, I'm a very proficient cheater, Friend Morgotta. My father taught me an enlarging spell that has many uses," Harry said with a smile.

As he set up the stove he heard the enigmatic Centaur laugh. In a short time he had water heating and he had given Abagail some trail rations and water from a tin cup. She was beginning to look better.

"Gee, Harry. That's a lot of stuff to carry for just a day or so," she said.

"It's in case something happened and it turned out to be more than just a day," he replied as he worked.

"Oh."

Morgotta simply nodded.

"Morgotta, I know Centaur preference tends not to include human food, but…"

"No need to concern yourself, Serpent King. I have sufficient, and appropriate, supplies."

He was just pouring out for Abagail and himself when the three brothers walked around the corner, their wands blazing.

"What's this?" Bill asked. "A brew-up in the middle of the expedition?"

"Abagail pushed herself a bit too hard, so I thought it was a good time for a break. Take a seat, there's plenty for all," Harry said.

"What was she doing?" Bill asked.

"I took a look at that pillar thing," she said and then described what she had seen.

"Just how old are we talking about here, Abagail?" Charlie asked.

"It's hard to say, Charlie. I have only a few experiences to go by. But if I were to compare some of the intervals I saw when I was helping Harry with the smugglers or when I first met the Dursleys to what I saw of Merlin those two times, it was something like that," she replied.

"What do you mean, Abagail?" Bill asked, sounding puzzled.

"I mean the size of the difference between the Merlin intervals and the other ones is similar to the difference between this one and Merlin."

"Wait a minute, little one," Harry said. "You mean that the thousands of years between what you saw of Merlin those two times is like just the few years of the smugglers when compared to what you just saw?"

"That's right, Harry."

Behind his glasses, Harry's eyes got very wide. They had estimated some four or five thousand years between the early and later Merlin images. That would mean hundreds of thousands for what they just saw. It was mind boggling.

"Are you sure, Abagail?" Bill asked.

"No, Professor, I'm not sure," she said, emphasizing the word 'sure'. "But it's the best description I can come up with."

"Being unique has its difficulties does it not, young human? Trying to have others understand what you see with no common frame of reference," Morgotta suggested.

"Yes, ma'am, it is. It helps that Harry can share in what I see."

"So what do you think, Harry? Is that it?" Ron asked.

"I don't think so, Ron. I noticed that any time something happened, I was tapping into my other self. I have to think that's a key somehow. I have an idea I want to try once we are done here. Morgotta, do you think we should let Ronin and Bane know what is going on?"

"I would not be concerned, Serpent King. It has not been all that long since we parted company. Most likely they are standing just inside the entry way engaged in a long, convoluted philosophical discussion."

"Really? I didn't know about those," Harry said.

"A secret to share with one most trustworthy," the Centaur said with a perfectly straight face.

Harry laughed and Abagail giggled. It took about twenty minutes to finish the impromptu meal, clean up and stash everything back in their packs.

"So what do you have in mind, Harry?" Bill asked.

"I'm going to try to tune in to this place with a little help from my friend in here," he replied. "I think you should all move back into that passage for a couple of minutes."

Harry walked back towards the pillar room and stood outside the doorway. With a few glances back over their shoulders the rest of the party walked back into the narrow space between the chamber wall and the structure. They stood there looking at each other, then just did a sort of group shrug. Then they heard a rush of air and the sound of scratching on the stone floor. Bill looked around the corner and laughed a bit.

"Well he did say he was going to his friend for help," he said.

The rest looked around the corner to see the huge green dragon that was Harry's other self. What was odd was that the dragon was facing away from the structure, lying flat on the stone floor, its tail disappearing through the doorway of the sixth room.

"What in the world…" Abagail said but got no further when a sound like a deep bell tone reverberated through the chamber.

This was followed almost immediately by a deep glow that began to suffuse the structure. They hurriedly stepped out into the larger space and watched open mouthed as the glow spread out to include the floor, walls and then the ceiling. Once the entire chamber took on the glow the surfaces began to pulse. They turned to look back at the dragon which remained stationary except for some slight twitching of the large talons.

"What's he doing?" Ron asked of no one in particular.

"He said he needed his friend to help connect to whatever is going on here," Charlie answered. "And the extra size is keeping the energy from throwing him through the door like the last time, I guess."

Abagail had started walking along the wall towards the end of the chamber where Harry's head rested on the floor between outstretched forelegs. She stopped as she came opposite the head and she stepped away from the wall to close about half the distance. She stopped and appeared to be looking closely at the huge head when she suddenly began to wave frantically at the others to come to her. The three brothers hurried over but Morgotta lagged behind, still somewhat stunned at the close up view of the true Serpent King. She was the first to notice what was happening to the glowing surfaces of the chamber.

"Abagail, what is it?" Bill asked.

"Look at his eyes," she hissed.

They all looked more closely at Harry's draconic head and the one eye that was visible from where they stood. The lid was fluttering from nearly closed to a little more than half open.

"What are we looking at?" Ron asked.

"The pupils. They're supposed to be vertical when he's the dragon," Abagail said. "Look at them, they're almost perfectly round."

Indeed they were round. As the eyelid went up it was apparent that beneath was Harry's human eye, only larger. As they were staring at this unexpected phenomenon, they heard Morgotta call to them.

"Friends, look. Look about you, at the walls and the floor."

When the four looked away from Harry they saw that the pulsing glow had settled down and the surfaces had developed an odd uneven coloring that shifted from the dull brown of the stone to various shades of green. Charlie turned a slow circle and finally said,

"It looks like dragon hide."

What none of Harry's companions could see was what was going on inside his head. When the others had moved into the passage Harry had looked at the doorway to the pillar room, he realized it was too small for what he had in mind. He stood and thought for a moment and then smiled a bit. He turned and walked out to the center of the floor. He looked over his shoulder and then lay on the floor face down. He thought 'big' and within two heartbeats he was filling up a significant portion of the chamber. He looked back over his shoulder again and then scrabbled backwards a few feet so that enough of his tail was through the doorway. He knew he needed to make contact and neither his head nor foreleg would fit. To further complicate matters, being a dragon and not a monkey, he couldn't just wrap his tail around the pillar. The best he could do was position himself so that he could press as much of the underside of the end of his tail against the pillar as he could.

When he was sure everything was ready he set his head down and closed his eyes. He placed his tail against the smooth stone surface of the pillar and felt an immediate surge. The sense of the presence, which up to now had been more like background noise, got stronger and he could 'see' the leylines. As before, he pulled the third line into contact with the other two and the renewed surge of energy was massive. It ran up his spine and flooded his brain. A series of images began to fly past his mind's eye. The images were jumbled, piled on top of one another, almost incoherent, almost.

The small part that was still Harry the Wizard was able to pull bits and pieces out of the jumble. He saw the hooded figures, singularly, in pairs or more, but never more than eleven. He saw others, clearly human, dressed in furs and leather, throngs filling the cavern. He saw glimpses of darkness and light but there was so much more that he couldn't get a fix on.

The riot of images kept coming and he had no idea how long it went on. Finally, an image of the chamber, empty, dark and lifeless appeared, and remained. It floated before his mind's eye but it also gave him the opportunity to collect his wits. The dragon took a deep shuddering breath and Harry looked inward and within two heartbeats he was lying on the floor letting the coolness of the stone floor ease him back to the here and now. The others hurried over and Bill and Ron helped him to his feet.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ron asked.

"Hmm, oh yes. Wow, that as really amazing. How long was I like that?"

"Somewhat more than an hour, mate."

"Not bad, really," Harry replied, a bit absently.

"What was happening, Harry?" Bill asked.

"I was seeing all kinds of images flashing by," he said, going on to explain about the images and how most just flew by but some he was able to comprehend.

"So you think the pillar was putting on a show for you, Harry?" Abagail asked. "Like some sort of high speed film in a cinema?"

Harry didn't answer right away but then said,

"You know, little one, having had a chance to think about it, I don't believe so. It felt like it was coming from the inside, in here," he said, tapping the side of his head. "It was more like the energy from the pillar was unlocking a door and it all came flooding out."

"Are they still there?" she asked.

"Vaguely. I think I have to be the dragon to call them up clearly."

"Wow."

"Yes, wow, indeed," he replied with a little laugh. "So, did you guys find anything?"

"Just blank walls and no dust, which is kind of strange. Of course things got a lot more interesting once you started the light show," Bill said.

"Light show?"

Bill described to Harry what had happened.

"Charlie said it looked like green dragon hide."

Harry shook his head and said,

"For every answer we find, we get five new questions."

"That's usually the case in these kinds of things," Charlie offered.

"Was there anything going on with me that you could see during all this?" Harry asked.

Charlie described what they saw, the slight movement of the talons, the fluttering eyelids and then the issue of the shape of his eyes.

"Hmm, just the opposite of when I let some of the dragon loose. That's a puzzler."

Then looking around he said,

"Well, what do you say we call it a day? I think we've done enough for now," Harry suggested.

"Let's just check the rest of the rooms, Harry," Charlie suggested.

Harry laughed a bit,

"Oops, they sort of slipped my mind. Sure, let's do that."

"That's understandable under the circumstances."

The three brothers and Abagail hurried off to check on the remaining five ground floor rooms. Morgotta remained with Harry.

"You are well, Serpent King?" she asked softly.

"Yes, I'm feeling fine, thanks. A little tired and more than a little perplexed but that's alright, really," he replied. "And you? Do you have any idea at all about this?"

"Beyond what we discussed earlier and the need to consult the other lore masters, all of this is well beyond me, Serpent King. The herd has been in this forest since its earliest days but I can recall no reference to this place. It is odd. While outside our normal range one would think that a wandering soul or lost youngster would have stumbled across it over the millennia."

Harry nodded as he watched the others, illuminated by their wands, moving from one room to another. Based on a lack of any reaction, Harry assumed they were finding nothing. Once they were down with the last room he watched as they gathered in a huddle, one or another looking up at the three openings above them. Two were on one level and the third was near the top but somewhat to the left of the center.

Bill and Charlie's wands winked out. Then, to Harry's surprise, Abagail began to float upwards, the light from her wand making her look like a fairy from some muggle story. She came to a hover by one opening and then the other. She would lean in to each one and then call something down. Then she began to rise again. When she was finally even with the last room she stepped inside, the doorway now aglow from within. A few moments later she appeared in the opening, calling down excitedly to the brothers. Then Harry heard his named called. He and Morgotta hurried over.

"Abagail says there is something up there you need to see," Bill said.

"Alright, who's got the ladder?" he asked.

"Harry," Bill chided softly before laughing.

With a smile, Harry muttered 'wingardium leviosa' directing it inward. He began to rise, gently drifting upwards toward the doorway where Abagail peered down at him, obviously very excited. As he got closer he heard her say,

"Wait until you see this, Harry."

"What did you find, little one?"

"Come in and have a look, Harry," she said as she reached for his hand to pull him through. "You have to see for yourself."

"Whoa, easy there. Back away and I'll come in," he said with a laugh.

Abagail stepped back and to the side so that Harry could get in. When he was firmly on his feet again he looked at the little witch and said,

"Alright, what's all the excitement about?"

She pointed to the wall opposite her. Harry turned and saw what had the girl so wound up. Cut into the otherwise smooth surface was a rendering of a dragon head perhaps a yard across and half that tall, giving a three quarter view from the front. Silently, Harry walked up to the image and lightly touched the lines that were engraved perhaps an eighth of an inch deep into the stone, maybe a bit more. They felt warm to the touch.

"Look at the eyes, Harry, the eyes," she whispered.

While the overall shape was what Harry was familiar with for dragons, the pupils were perfectly round.


	54. Chapter 54

Professor Potter, Chapter 54

Sunday morning found Harry sitting on a couch in his living room, looking out of the large windows as he often did when he wanted to think. He had much to think about and had been at it all night. When the exploration party had returned Harry had asked that the word go out for a family gathering the following day to begin with brunch and then go on for as long as it took. There was a lot to discuss after what had occurred the previous day and Harry had learned that having all the different perspectives of his family available made it easier to unravel the puzzles he often encountered. The sun was visible above the trees on the edge of the meadow when Harry heard his named being called from behind him.

"Harry? Have you been in here all night?" Ginny asked.

"Yes. There was just too much to consider for me to think I'd get to sleep," he said as she walked up to stand by the couch.

"Are you going to be able to stay awake when the family is here?"

"I'm sure I'll pay for it later but I should be able to manage it," he said.

Ginny sat down on the couch next to him, and taking hold of his arm, said,

"From what the boys were talking about it must have been an amazing thing to see."

Harry looked at his wife and a thought occurred to him.

"Do you feel left out of the things I've been doing lately?"

It surprised him when he heard Ginny laughing.

"Sweetheart, don't let all that stuff from our school days give you the wrong idea. I did those things because we all had to. Plus my three years with the Harpies provided plenty of excitement," she said with a smile. "Yes, it might have been interesting to have seen what went on in that cavern, but the hike through the forest in the winter cold is not my idea of fun or exciting. In case you haven't figured it out yet, remember that I am Molly Weasley's daughter. Being a wife and mother is all the excitement I need and want. Especially with you lot. I think I've made my contribution to the world of magic, no matter how small, and now I'm content and very happy with my life as it is."

Harry smiled back at her and with a little nod, he leaned over and gave her a kiss, brief but with feeling. She smiled again as he leaned back.

"If you want to add some excitement to my life, a little more of that would be welcome. Now, how about some breakfast?"

Harry laughed as he stood up and helped Ginny to her feet. Arm in arm, they walked to the kitchen and breakfast and to begin preparing for the busy day ahead.

By eleven o'clock, the great majority of Harry's extended family had arrived at the house. Food had been laid out in the kitchen and those so inclined could prepare a plate and sit in the living room with the rest. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had taken charge of the grandchildren and herded them down to the basement playroom so the adults could concentrate on the topic of the day. Mrs. Granger was giving them an assist, particularly with her granddaughter, Rose.

"If I might suggest, Harry, why don't we start from the beginning and fill everyone in on what's been found. I know for some it's been a little spotty," Bill said.

"Sounds like a good idea. But those of you who were with me, please feel free to jump in if I miss something," Harry replied.

He started the story from the beginning, from the time he first sensed the presence in the forest and working toward when he and the others left the chamber just the day before. Bill, Charlie, Ron and Abagail offered up comments here and there, especially when describing what was going on in the chamber while Harry was experiencing the barrage of images. When he concluded his description of events he said,

"Well, that's it. What do you think?"

"'ave you felt any eell eeffects from all that energy you absorbed, 'arry?" Fleur asked.

"Nothing that I have noticed, Fleur, but thanks for your concern," he replied with a smile.

"What about positive things, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Do you feel anything or noticed any new capabilities?"

"Well, I haven't had a chance to investigate those possibilities, Hermione, but I certainly don't feel any different. But I don't think it was like that. I think it was more about knowledge than power. In a way it seems like the tome when Merlin wrote about the events of his time. But what little I could grasp didn't seem to have any sense of spells or anything like that. There was just so much there and I could understand so little of it," he said with mounting frustration.

"Easy does it, Harry," Charlie said. "It's been barely twenty four hours. Look at the time and effort that went into the tome. It hasn't been all that long since that was fully translated. Give it some time."

Harry let out a sigh and ran a hand through his unruly hair. With a little laugh he said,

"Yeah, I should know better but I guess I'm just a little tired."

"The thing that I find so amazing," Angelina said, "is the time scale that Abagail felt. It seems beyond belief."

"I know," Harry said. "But considering how fast the images were flashing past and how long I was in contact with the pillar, I suppose it's possible. It's interesting, now that I think about it, but that last image, that just showed the empty cavern, went on for a long time. Like it was empty for a long time."

"Harry," Ron began, "remember what the Centaurs said. They've been in the forest almost since its beginnings. Wouldn't that have kept people away from the place?"

"True, mate, but they also said they weren't aware of the place until we found it."

Ron nodded.

"Harry," Mr. Granger interjected, "Ron told me that you've been trying to work out how old the place might be. I can tell you that the last of the glaciers in that area melted off around ten thousand years ago, maybe a bit more. I don't see how anything above ground could be older than that. And considering the immense weight of all that ice pressing down, I don't know how such a large open space just below ground could hold up."

"We were wondering about that as well," Harry replied. "I'm not sure that conventional wisdom will hold here though. The stone looked very odd. What was above ground looked like some of the things I've seen in muggle books. Stone Age structures with precisely fitted boulders and stones. But what was below ground borders on the bizarre. It was totally smooth but without a sign of being worked with tools."

"Magic, perhaps?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Possibly, but nothing that I know of," Harry said while looking around at the others.

He was met by various negative gestures.

"Well, Harry," Mr. Granger continued, "I can tell you that scientists have established that people have lived on the British Isles for far longer than the ten thousand years since the last glaciers. The ice has come and gone many times and the people would go and come back as it did. If we accept the fact that somehow that cavern was able to survive the icy periods, then I suppose we can accept that it was used by various peoples over the eons."

"Well the ones I saw in furs and leathers seemed pretty straight forward and could have been there between the periods of ice or just after the last one before the forest took hold. But as to the ones in the robes, I haven't a clue," Harry said. "Little one, what about you? Have you had a chance to think on the vision we shared?"

"Almost continuously, Harry," she replied with a bit of a laugh. "I can't recall seeing anything of the actual beings under the robes, but I do recall something about their posture, the way they stood."

"How do you mean?" Harry asked.

"With the way they were standing, it seemed that their heads were a little too far forward of their bodies. Like their necks were longer and bent a bit," she said.

"I'm afraid I didn't pick up on that at all. The artist's eye for detail, I guess," Harry said with a bit of a smile. "So what are you thinking? They aren't, or weren't, human?"

"Maybe, Harry. Or maybe earlier ancestors or they could just have been like those people in foreign places that stretch their necks with metal rings. All manner of possibilities I guess."

Harry nodded and then said to no one in particular,

"I don't suppose we know of any witches or wizards who have made a study of archeology, do we?"

"No one springs to mind, Harry," Charlie said, "but I'll look into it. Maybe some of my friends know of someone."

"Harry," Ginny began, "can you describe some of what you could understand? Maybe that would help."

Harry sat for a moment and sifted through the images that had even a semblance of clarity, which were few.

"There were, of course, the images of the early ones, the ones in the robes. And of course the people in the furs. Some were just periods of light and dark and then that long stretch of just an empty cavern. I'm beginning to think that the dark periods were the times of ice. There must be some way that a minimal amount of light gets through at other times. That's really about it."

"Do you think you'll be able to sort out the rest of it?" she asked.

"I have a few ideas I want to try," he replied and then laughed a bit. "I have to admit that I'm intensely curious to the meaning of it all."

They continued to discuss more of the particulars until Fleur looked at Harry and asked,

"And what of thee dragon 'ead engraving, 'arry?"

"Another piece of the puzzle but at the moment I have no idea where it fits. I have to take Abagail's word that it looks like what they saw when I was receiving all those images. But I don't necessarily think that the two are directly connected."

"Why not, 'arry?"

"Wouldn't that imply that whoever engraved that dragon's head knew something about me?"

"Why would that be so strange?" Fleur asked. "'aven't you been the subject of such theengs before?"

"What? You mean those predictions from Professor Trelawney?"

"She might have a point, Harry," Hermione said. "Considering all the odd things you've found yourself involved with, this wouldn't be totally out of the question."

"You might be right," he said after a moment. "But I have no idea at the moment how we'll ever figure it all out."

"There's that 'I' and 'we' business again," Ron said.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. Any further discussion was interrupted by the sound of stampeding feet. Small feet. Harry was quickly swamped by his two sons and Bill's two daughters. Little Fred followed along at a slower pace and the grandparents brought up the rear a few moments later, Mrs. Granger carrying Rose.

Now Rose represented an interesting contradiction for Harry. Despite the seeming connection that occurred that first time Harry held her when he had the vision of her as Hogwarts Headmistress, the little girl's attitude towards her uncle could best be described as standoffish. She was almost the complete opposite of her cousin Victoire. While little Vee insisted on staying as close to Harry as possible, Rose would always be across the room if she could manage it. It was, in fact, a great embarrassment for the girl's parents. When it became obvious that Rose would much rather keep her distance from Harry, Ron and Hermione were continuously apologizing. Harry took it in stride when he said,

"It's not like I can expect to be everyone's idol, you know. At least she's not running away screaming in terror," he said with a small smile.

What no one seemed to notice, however, was that when Rose was across a room from Harry, her eyes never left him. She watched his every move. It was suggested once that Dominique Weasley was an unusually observant child. She had nothing on Rose when it came to their uncle. For the time being however, Harry had more than enough to be concerned about. The afternoon wound down with Harry engaging in several smaller conversations with various members of the family. By the time everyone had left, he had offers of help to include a return trip to the cavern as well as any assistance he thought he would need in sorting out the meaning behind the images.

"Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

"Oh, no, love, I've been nibbling all afternoon. I'm full up. In fact, I'm pretty tired. Once we get the boys' heads down, I'm for bed. It's going to be a busy week."

"Good idea, Harry. Even the mighty Serpent King needs to sleep now and again," she said with a wicked little grin.

The following morning, Harry was back at school and sitting in the Head's office. He had asked Professor McGonagall for some time to go over his latest discovery with her and her 'roommates'. He intended to gloss over anything related to the dragon in front of the collective former Heads but he at least wanted them to hear most of it in case any of them knew anything that might prove useful. He laid out what information he had, starting with his awareness of the presence in the forest and concluding with the discovery of the pillar and the ley lines and their misalignment. When he talked about his effort in pulling the third line into conjunction with the other two and the results, there were several startled exclamations.

He then spoke of the second trip and what they had found with respect to the cavern and most of the structure. He also spoke about Abagail's vision, which he thought was safe enough. This revelation provoked a few more comments of surprise. When he was done, he sat back in the chair and asked,

"Well, does anyone have any ideas?"

"I must say, Harry," Dumbledore began, "you seem to have stumbled upon a doorway to the very dawn of wizardry. Do you think there might be a way to verify Miss Westwood's estimate of the age of what you both saw?"

"Not that I'm aware of at the moment, sir," he replied.

"I find your description of the ley lines to be quite fascinating," Professor McGonagall said. "Do you think it could be a source of magic?"

"I don't know about as a source, Professor. I mean I don't think that if a muggle came in contact with the pillar that they'd be able to do magic. But it's possible that it might be able to strengthen someone that already has the ability," Harry replied. "That could be why the pillar is there. I'd have to think that at one time those three lines were joined and that's why they put everything there, whoever 'they' are."

"I say, young Professor Potter," came a voice from near the top of one of the office walls.

Harry leaned back, trying to see the face of the wizard that was calling to him. With the portrait that high up, he must have been Headmaster near the beginnings of Hogwarts.

"Yes, sir?"

"When I was but a young lad, I lived in a tiny hamlet that was something of a haven for magical folk. There lived among us a strange old fellow. He did claim that he was a direct descendant of a long line of Celtic druids. Indeed, he claimed that his ancestors were among the very first Celts to come to the isles. Many strange stories did he tell. In some, he claimed his forefathers dealt much with those peoples already living here. Supposedly, the indigenous people told stories of 'the long ago times' as they called them. I hadn't thought of that old man in centuries, but what you described did prompt one such memory," the old wizard said and then seemed to wind down.

"Um, yes, sir?" Harry prompted.

"What? Oh, yes. He related one story that told of powerful men who could accomplish great tasks with just a spoken word or a thought. But then something happened and they lost much of their abilities and they had to find new ways that involved sacred branches, complex incantations and strange substances. He also said the old ones told that while there were no more men of great might, there were more who could accomplish lesser feats. It makes one wonder if perhaps this 'long ago time' might have something to do with your discovery."

"It certainly sounds promising, sir. Thank you. And if you should recall any more stories from that odd old fellow, please let me know," Harry requested.

"I shall endeavor to recall what I can."

Harry looked at the Headmistress and said,

"You know that last part reminds me a bit of the projects that dealt with wands. Do you remember what they found out?"

"Yes, Harry, I do. That wands were developed to enhance the power of the few really strong but it turned out they helped those with lesser abilities even more."

Harry nodded.

"Exactly. It makes me wonder if those robed figures might have been some of those mighty ones that old man's story refers to."

"A bit of a thin thread, Harry," the Headmistress replied.

"I agree but even a thin thread might help sew a few pieces together long enough to get an idea of the shape of the cloth."

Before leaving the office, Harry requested the former heads to let him know if they should recall any stories that might in any way be connected to what he had found in the cavern. In the weeks that followed he spent a fair amount of time with his project team as well as trying to figure out a way to get more focus out of the rush of images.

The students on the team were spending most of their free time in the library pouring through anything that might shed some light on the topic of ley lines or any other kind of energy lines. They had also spent a Saturday at Harry's house looking for some books referenced in the Hogwarts library books. Several were found in that part of his collection that he had acquired from the old wizard's estate. They had also met with Morgotta near Hagrid's hut discussing what she knew and then making two trips into the forest to take tracings from the stone markers. Spirals played heavily in what could be discerned.

Harry's efforts with getting a handle on all the imagery weren't making much progress. He tried using a bit of his dragon senses as he sat and worked his way through what he could understand, and while helping sharpen some of the focus, it didn't clarify any of the other flashes. When time allowed he felt he was going to have to make another trip to the cavern.

Meanwhile he continued on with the research project so that the students would be assured of completing their requirements. On one occasion he went with them to meet with Morgotta for the last of the question and answer sessions. While the students talked with the Centaur, Harry watched and couldn't help but notice that Morgotta looked uneasy. When the students were finished and had left to go back to the castle, Harry said,

"Friend Morgotta, do you have a moment?"

"If you wish, Serpent King," she replied, a wary edge to her voice.

"You appear very uncomfortable. Is there something troubling you?"

The Centaur would not meet Harry's eyes, something he had never experienced before with an adult.

"Morgotta?"

"It is something that is most troubling and not a little embarrassing, Serpent King."

"This something, it involves me I suppose?" he prompted.

"I am afraid so, Serpent King."

"Would you be willing to share any of the details with me?"

"I would not wish to offend you or offer insult, Serpent King."

"Friend Morgotta, I do not believe in shooting the messenger. But if it is something you'd rather not tell me, would you at least bear the message to Bane or Ronin to meet with me so they could tell me? I assume they know."

"Yes, they do. But I am being unworthy. You call me Friend and as such I should not hesitate. Serpent King, Friend Harry Potter, there is much heated discussion within the herd with regard to you. A small but vocal element is saying rather loudly that this latest discovery of yours will make you all the more powerful and as a human you are not to be trusted with such. They say they fear you will seek to dominate the herd with such power," she said and then fell silent.

Harry said nothing for a moment but simply nodded. Then he said,

"Well, it's interesting to hear that someone knows something about what we discovered. Personally, I haven't a clue what it all means and I certainly haven't felt anything that indicates increased powers," he said with a wry smile. "I suppose others have been equally loud voicing a different opinion."

"Indeed, you have many very vehement supporters, Serpent King, and there are others who are undecided. They are torn between their natural distrust of humans and their knowledge of your words and deeds."

"I see," Harry said and then he remained quiet for some time before saying, "Friend Morgotta, would you do me a favor? Would you ask Elder Zentese if he would arrange a gathering in the big meeting circle? Please have Centaurs from all sides in attendance. This isn't something that can be left to fester."

"I will bear your message, Serpent King."

"And would it be unfair of me to ask you where you stand?" Harry asked softly.

"In truth, I must admit that I stand with those who have concerns and doubts. All that I have observed of you in our times together is that you are a being worthy of trust and honor. But when I saw you manifested as the great dragon and what was occurring in the chamber, I must admit to certain apprehensions. About the kind of being you are and may become in the future."

Harry looked at the Centaur and then took a step closer and held out his hand. She reached out tentatively and clasped his forearm in the manner of her people. Harry looked up at her, eye to eye and said,

"In that, the last part, we are agreed, Friend Morgotta. I thank you for your honesty and openness, and your assistance in hopefully resolving this issue," he said, placing his free hand over the one gripping his forearm. "Be at ease, my friend."

The Centaur looked away and then back at Harry, his bright green eyes holding hers of dark brown.

"I will try. And thank you for your words, Serpent King, and the thoughts behind them. Fare thee well."

"Fare thee well, Morgotta," Harry replied as they released each others' forearms and he watched as she retreated into the forest.

As he walked back to the castle he had to admit to himself he sometimes wondered about the same things himself. But at least he had the right since he was in the middle of it all. This so called 'vocal minority' didn't since they were only going on fear and supposition and he had hoped that he was done with that. These thoughts began to annoy him.

It would be a full ten days before Harry found himself standing at the edge of the great circle bracketed by Bane and Ronin. A late winter sun was shining down from a cloudless sky, the light taking on a greenish tint as it filtered through the pine branches. In the center stood Zentese, addressing the assembled. As the elder spoke to the purpose of the meeting, Harry looked around. He saw Morgotta, regarding him with troubled eyes. He thought he recognized an older Felena, now a young adult, standing among those Harry thought were his supporters. Across the circle he could see a group, perhaps a double handful, that based on their expressions were most likely from the 'vocal minority'. Harry returned his attention to the Elder.

"…and so, in his wisdom, having learned of the growing discord within the herd, the Serpent King, Friend Harry Potter, has requested this gathering so we may discuss and hopefully resolve this most vexing issue," Zentese concluded and then beckoned Harry to join him.

Harry slowly walked to the center of the circle. He was wearing his formal black robe but with no hat. His expression was as neutral as he could manage. When he joined the Elder he extended his hand and exchanged clasps.

"Would you care to address the assembled, Serpent King?"

"Thank you, Elder, I would," he replied and then turned his attention towards his detractors. "It has become known to me that I am the topic of much spirited discussion. And while I appreciate the support I have received from some, I thought it best if I spoke for myself. Thus I requested this gathering. It is my understanding that this new discovery in the forest has created concerns. That there are those who question my intentions with regard to the herd. I would like to hear and address those questions now. Please, feel free."

While Harry had been talking he was watching the group directly in front of him. At its center was a large, powerfully built, but slightly aging, Centaur. Harry assumed he was the leader of the 'vocal minority'. Indeed, it was he who took two steps forward and began to speak.

"The human that stands before us would have us believe that he is no threat. His words are soft, his demeanor humble. Yet two facts remain and they are incontrovertible. He is human and he is a wizard of significant skill and power. In all the history of we Centaurs, this is a combination that has never failed to deliver disaster and woe. We have had our lands taken, our freedoms curtailed, and our way of life forever diminished by such as he. Where once we roamed freely across grasslands and moor, we now pick our way through dark forest and stare up into the cold night sky, because of such as he. What say you to that, mighty wizard?"

Harry regarded the Centaur for a moment and then said,

"As any of the herd knows, your words are certainly true, for ones such as me. But we are not here to talk about ones such as me, but of me in particular. What is it about me, Harry Potter, that gives you cause for such concern?"

"You, Harry Potter," the Centaur began, his voice growing louder, "are a human. You, Harry Potter, are a wizard of great power. You, Harry Potter, are in part, one of the Great Serpents. And you, Harry Potter, have great influence over those that lead the herd. Therefore you, Harry Potter, are a threat to the herd. Unless you, Harry Potter, can prove otherwise."

A number of voices were raised behind Harry but he held up a hand and they quieted down. He nodded once.

"Very well spoken," Harry said then paused. "Might I know you're name since you obviously know mine very well."

He heard several snorts from behind and to the sides.

"I am Celstus.

Harry nodded again.

"A long list of supposed sins on my part, but has the herd not known other humans who could be trusted? Dumbledore or Hermione Granger?" he asked.

"Dumbledore was known only by a few and the other is known only by her words. We have yet to see any outcome from those words. At best she is a dupe, a well intentioned face worn by the duplicitous Ministry. At worst a willing participant bent on treachery."

This last bit didn't sit well with Harry at all but he didn't let it show.

"So it's not just about me then. But it should be since I'm the one who poses such a threat."

He turned to Zentese and said,

"Honored Elder, I would ask that you step to the edge of the circle."

Zentese regarded Harry with a quizzical expression, one eyebrow cocked. He could see the seriousness of Harry's expression and so he nodded and backed away, coming to stand between Bane and Ronin.

"There, you see, the arrogance of all humans," Celstus shouted.

Harry said nothing but within two heartbeats the Great Serpent, as Celstus had called him, sat upright in the center of the circle, his head and a good portion of his neck protruding above the pine branches. He pointed his snout to the sky and let loose a bellowing roar, followed by a lance of pure white plasma. The assembled Centaurs were stunned and immobilized. It was one thing to observe the Serpent King gliding above the treetops. It was quite another to have him suddenly appear in their midst. Harry carefully dipped his head down below the lower canopy of the mighty trees that formed the circle and dropped down to all fours. He brought his snout uncomfortably close to Celstus, uncomfortable for Celstus that is. The one disadvantage at this point was the inability of the dragon to speak. But a thought occurred to the dragon dominated mind. This time it was the dragon that let a bit of the human to surface. Harry's perspective altered slightly and his field of view broadened. Harry was pretty sure that his eyes had shifted to be more rounded. And his eyes weren't the only ones to be big and round. Celstus was rooted in place, his own eyes wide, round and frightened. Harry focused on his voice and he managed to grind out in a deep gravelly growl,

"I wished the Elder to suffer no harm. I may not show you the same concern."

While the words may have been a bit garbled, the meaning was loud and clear. Harry then pulled back and sat up and within two heartbeats he was once more standing alone in the center of the circle. Before any of the Centaurs could react, he drew out his wand and thrust it skyward. Drawing inspiration from the troubled dream of himself on that rocky crag he pulled down lightening from a clear sky, the resulting thunder deafening everyone around him. Then he called up a cyclonic wind that whipped around the circle, driving the Centaurs back against the trunks of the trees.

Finally, drawing from his experience with the headmistress at Durmstrang, he called up the image from the portrait hanging unseen in his office at home and began walking toward Celstus and his followers. If they hadn't already been pushed against the trees by the wand, Harry's approach would have had the same effect.

When he reached the spot where the big Centaur had been standing he let the image go. The wind died down and Harry stood calmly, his hands held clasped in front of him. Celstus stared owlishly in Harry's direction and blinked. A shudder ran through his body and he pushed himself away from the tree.

"Friend Celstus, you have said, as I understand it, that you believe this new discovery could give me the power to dominate the herd, should I so choose. Based on what you've just experienced, would you say that I already possess that ability?" Harry asked, assuming his best professorial manner.

"That could very well be true," Celstus conceded.

"Yet I haven't, have I?"

"Not in any overt way, no."

"Ah, you're implying I may be doing it in some quiet way?" Harry asked.

"You do have influence with the leaders," Celstus asserted.

Harry nodded and looked back over his shoulder.

"Honored Elder, is what Friend Celstus says true?"

"It is true that your words are taken seriously for the wisdom they usually hold, but if fault must be found it would be that you offer these words much too infrequently and deprive the herd, your herd, of their value," Zentese replied.

"I accept your rebuke, Honored Elder, and offer my apologies."

Harry then turned back to Celstus and said,

"I believe this problem has its roots in misunderstanding, Friend Celstus. You know me to be a human wizard of great power and that, therefore, leads you to the conclusion that I wish to use this power to gain domination over others. But that tells me you clearly do not know or understand me. I would like to change that," Harry said, holding out his hand.

Celstus regarded Harry's offered hand warily. Harry smiled and said,

"You have nothing to fear from me, Friend Celstus."

By calling the Centaur 'Friend' Harry was almost compelling him to accept his hand. Finally, the big Centaur stepped forward and took Harry's forearm, who then did likewise.

"You see, I was orphaned at a very early age as you may know," Harry began and as he described his childhood he tried to emulate what he had felt when he would communicate with Abagail in that gray place.

He tried to open his mind and let the visual memories of his time at Privet Drive and the muggle school flow across that physical connection he had with Celstus. From what he could see of the changing expression on the Centaurs face, something was getting through. Harry made sure that he paid particular attention to his times locked in the cupboard under the stairs or how he felt in the midst of all those students, knowing he could never be friends with any of them. Indeed, it was having an impact. To a Centaur the idea of such isolation was devastating. Harry could feel Celstus' arm trembling in his grip.

Then he changed subjects and he began to describe the events surrounding his entry to Hogwarts, becoming part of the family of witches and wizards. He glossed over the more troublesome moments and concentrated on his association with Dumbledore, finding friends and then a family with the Weasleys, the collective triumph over the forces of darkness and finding love with Ginny. He then spoke of joining the Ministry and his work to build a better community for his extended family and his work to extend that community to include the other magical races. He finished with a description of the events of his wedding, cementing his ties with the Weasleys and his startling inclusion into the herd.

"So you see, Friend Celstus, I much prefer being a part of something, a group, a family, the herd. I have been in positions of leadership and it makes me very uncomfortable. I can do it, but I prefer not to. And I have seen what can happen when someone with great power seeks to dominate others, and I have suffered greatly as a result. I have no wish to subject others to that pain," Harry concluded his tale, his green eyes holding the gray of Celstus fast.

"Do you think now, Friend Celstus, that you understand me a little better?"

The Centaur broke eye contact with Harry for a moment and then looked back.

"In this matter, I believe I do, Serpent King," he replied quietly.

"That is to the good then," Harry said and with a final squeeze let go of the Centaur's forearm and stepped back. With a nod he turned and walked toward the center of the circle where the Elder walked to meet him.

"Honored Elder, I believe that I have said all that is required. There is likely much that the herd may wish to discuss and it would be better if it was done in my absence. If it is decided that my association with the herd is no longer prudent, send word and I will willingly, if regrettably, return those tokens which were presented upon my mating day."

There were a number of oaths and exclamations made when Harry said this but the Elder merely looked at him, his head tilted slightly to the side.

"It is so noted, Serpent King. We thank you for your time and your patience here today. We will advise you of any conclusions we reach," Zentese replied solemnly.

Harry gripped forearms with the Elder with a slight bow of his head. He then walked towards the edge of the circle were he exchanged similar courtesies with Bane and Ronin. Off to the side he could see Felena regarding him intently. He walked over and came to stand in front of her. He held out his hand and she nervously responded. They gripped each others' forearms and Harry placed his free hand over the one on his arm.

"Friend Felena, it is so good to see you. You've grown much," he said with a smile.

"As have you, Serpent King," she replied, her voice a little deeper and more confident then what Harry remembered from their first meeting. "I am pleased to see you again."

"As am I. My broomstick has never known better care."

Felena smiled a bit and said,

"Please relay my respects and admiration to your mate, if you would."

"I will do so. Fare thee well, Friend Felena."

"Fare thee well, Serpent King."

With a final nod Harry worked his way through the trees on the path that led out of the forest. He was perhaps half way along when he heard the sounds of rapidly approaching hooves. He turned to see Morgotta hurrying towards him. Harry stopped and waited. She came to a halt a few feet from him.

"Friend Morgotta, is there a problem?"

"No, Serpent King. A discussion has begun but I do not think it will go on for long. But I wished to tell you that I heard your words and saw the reaction of Celstus. I wished to say I am sorry that I expressed doubts about you."

"There is no need for apologies, Morgotta. You were honest and forthright. That is much more important. I am honored to call you friend."

"As am I, Serpent King, Friend Harry Potter."

"Would you walk with me to the edge of the forest?" Harry asked.

"Gladly."

As they walked side by side, Harry posed a question that caught the Centaur off guard.

"Morgotta, as a lore master, would you consider meeting with some Hogwarts students to share with them what it means to be a Centaur?"

"You would ask me to reveal to humans the life and history of the herd? This is a serious matter," she replied.

"No, nothing like that. It's just that when it was decided that we were going to try and establish a more equal relationship among the magical races, one of the things we did was to remove Centaurs, House Elves and Goblins from the Magical Creatures curriculum. But we haven't really done anything to fill that void. Lots of magical families have house elves and we deal with Goblins at Gringotts and some other businesses, as well as study them in Magical History, but the Centaurs remain a mystery."

"I suppose there might be some general knowledge that could be shared. I will consider and discuss the possibilities, Friend Harry Potter."

"Thank you, I can't ask for more than that."

They walked on in silence and when they approached the end of the trail they stopped and faced one another.

"Fare thee well for now, Friend Morgotta. I look forward to our next meeting," Harry said.

"As do I, Serpent King. Fare thee well," she replied and then turned and walked back into the deeper forest as Harry watched her go.

As he emerged from the trees he was met by Norbert who was barking happily, stopping only when Harry began a brisk head scratching.

"Hullo there, Harry. How'd it go in there?" Hagrid said by way of welcome.

"Well enough, Hagrid. I think I got things worked out."

"Good on ya. It got pretty noisy there fer a while," Hagrid said, his dark eyes glinting.

"A bit. Sometimes you have to try hard to get their attention before they really listen. Just like students," Harry said with a laugh and a smile.

"Oh, aye, yer right about that. Could I stand ya ta a cuppa, Harry? I think I have a few o' them biscuits ya like so much."

Harry's smile broadened considerably.


	55. Chapter 55

Professor Potter, Chapter 55

It was late in the afternoon when Harry arrived home after the eventful day in the forest. He was feeling fairly relaxed having spent a couple of hours chatting with Hagrid, drinking two cups of tea and finishing off the small store of butter biscuits from Angelina's. He promised to replenish his friends supply before the week was out. Kreacher bowed him into the house and he walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. It wasn't too long before Ginny walked in.

"Welcome back, sweetheart. How did your meeting with the Centaurs go? Anything interesting?"

"Oh, you could say that," Harry replied with a grin.

Harry had only told Ginny that he was meeting the Centaurs to discuss the cavern. He hadn't made any mention about the nature of the subject to be discussed. She sat down next to him and said,

"Alright, then. Let's hear all about it."

Harry began to describe the opening of the meeting and it quickly became apparent that Ginny was none too happy with what she was hearing. As Harry reached the end of Celstus' denunciations she was scowling.

"Let's just stop here for a moment," she said quietly. "Are you telling me that you went to this gathering knowing that this was going to happen?"

"Well, I didn't know exactly what was going to be said and who was going to be saying it but I had the general idea that some of them weren't happy."

"I see. Alright, keep going."

Harry continued, describing the more dramatic episodes involving the dragon and the weather and then his private discussion with Celstus and its effects. He finished by telling about his departure, minus what Felena had said. He decided Ginny probably wasn't in the mood for that. He did include his chat with Morgotta and his time with Hagrid.

"So, that's it," he said.

"Well," she began with a curt nod, "at the least the day ended on a high note. With Hagrid I mean. Now perhaps you'd care to explain why you thought it was necessary to keep this from me?"

"I didn't. I just told you all about it," Harry replied.

"I meant before you went up there and you bloody well know it."

"What? I was supposed to tell you a week and a half ago that some of the Centaurs think I'm going to go the way of Voldemort and let you simmer about it? I seem to recall someone, several someones in fact, keeping things from me so I wouldn't worry about them. It's the same thing."

Ginny leaned away from Harry so she could look him straight in the eye and say with some vehemence,

"It is most certainly not the same thing. Back then, as now, you had far too much to be concerned about. The things we didn't tell you were those that you couldn't have done anything about anyway so why let them distract you? This is different. This family and its welfare are my responsibility. I should know about the things that cause you trouble or will make you unhappy. That's my job. I don't need to be protected from it."

Harry knew that from her posture, expression and tone of voice that this was not an argument he was going to win. This was his wife in full 'I'm as stubborn as any Weasley ever born' mode and he was wise enough to know not to push.

"Alright, I get the message," he replied straight faced.

"Well, I should hope so," she said. "Dinner will be in an hour."

She stood up and left the room muttering to herself about who was going to look out for him if not her and what ever happened to no secrets. Harry sat calmly and listened as her footsteps faded away before he started laughing, quietly.

Dinner was a relatively quiet affair with just the four Potters. Abagail had been out all day with Angus and wasn't expected back until late. Afterwards Harry had some time to play with the boys and then help put them to bed. Once that was done he retired to the library and Ginny walked in a few minutes later with a cup of tea. She sat down on the couch opposite Harry and pulled her legs up into the complicated knot that always made his knee ache just to see it.

"So, is there anything else about all of this I haven't heard about?" she asked.

"Not really. I told you everything that happened. But I have been thinking of something. The way I was able to call up all that wind and lightening. And the link I was able to form with Celstus. I only ever did the wind in that dream I had and Abagail was always the one to establish the mental link. I'm not sure how I was able to do all that."

Ginny squinted at him a bit and then said,

"Well, let's think about this for a minute, Harry. Often in the past you've said ideas or solutions to problems have come to you after you don't concentrate on them. You let your subconscious work on it and then the answer will, how did you put it, bubble up to the surface. Maybe this is the same thing. You've learned unknowingly from Abagail how to form a mental link and perhaps from your dream you figured out how to call up the wind and lightening."

Harry thought about what she said and nodded a little.

"I guess that's possible. It does make a certain amount of sense. I know I was a little annoyed with what he said about Hermione. That might have helped trigger the weather part, at least."

"A little annoyed? They're lucky you weren't like you were that day when those men tried to kidnap Abagail. You would have leveled the whole forest," Ginny said with a wicked little chuckle.

Harry smiled a bit, too, but not much. The ensuing weeks found Harry to be very busy. He had his regular teaching duties combined with working with his project team. In addition he was trying to figure out how he could make some sense from the jumble of images that he had seen while in the cavern. His first step was to firmly fix in his mind what few he could remember and then had Abagail 'look' at them and sketch them up. Since there were so few of these it didn't take much time. The rest were going to take some serious effort.

As for the project, the three sixth years had produced some interesting results with their research into the ley lines, but they were few and slow in coming. One tidbit that seemed to bear directly on what they had encountered in the cavern was found in an old volume that was part of Harry's library. The author claimed that lines of power were anchored at either end by certain types of rock formations. He also stated that where two or more lines crossed great power could be harnessed. He referenced some ambiguous 'writings of the ancients' as his source and went on to claim that the ability to track and tap such lines had been lost millennia ago.

After some discussion, Harry and his students concluded that the lines under the cavern may have once been in conjunction but something like an earthquake or continental drift pulled one out of alignment with the others and much of its power was diminished. The two students with non magical backgrounds even found ways to tap into some of the material in popular muggle literature to see if there might be anything of value mixed up with the mystical and quasi-religious trappings surrounding the subject.

With these thoughts in mind and with his difficulties recalling anything else about the images Harry was becoming convinced he was going to have to return to the cavern and see if somehow the pillar could help him. He was going to wait, however, until he got word from the Centaurs as to the results of their discussions. He did try one experiment, though. On a clear, cool night he went out into the meadow at home and went dragon. He settled himself into the still brown grass stalks and stretched out his neck and tail, resting both on the ground trying to maximize his contact with the earth. He closed his eyes and tried to call up from the now dragon dominated depths of his mind anything of the images he had seen.

The ones he had been able to see before were clearer but nothing new about them was revealed. A number of others emerged with varying degrees of clarity but they didn't do anything to help shape a 'bigger picture'. They were little more than a jumble of disparate images. His contact with the ground didn't seem to be helping either. Apparently, there wasn't much in the way of ley lines in the area. One outcome of this experiment came as a bit of surprise, or more like a shock. When Harry had gone back inside after calling it a night he bumped into Abagail coming down the corridor to the front door.

"Ah, Harry," she said with some disappointment. "I was coming outside to see you. I saw you had gone dragon and I was curious to see what you were up to."

"I was trying to see if I could recall anything more by going dragon and it helped some. I was able to see more of the images but not enough to be able to make sense of the whole thing."

"Can you still recall them?" she asked eagerly.

"No. As soon as I made the change they sort of melted away, so I doubt you'd be able to see them."

Abagail's lips twisted in annoyance and then her eyes popped wide.

"Hey, here's a thought. What if I tried to read you while you're the dragon? Maybe I could see these other images and get them down on paper."

"Do you think you could do that?" Harry asked, a bit skeptical.

"I could try. It's not the first time I'd make contact with a non-human. When I was sketching the animals up at Hagrid's hut, I was able to communicate to them the need to be perfectly still," she said matter-of-factly.

Harry smiled.

"You know, we used to wonder how you got Norbie and the others to stand like that for so long. Alright, grab a coat and we'll go back out. We'll just see if it will work. You won't be able to draw much out there tonight."

"Cool," was all she said as she went to the cupboard under the stairs to get a coat.

The two then went outside and walked side by side across the winter browned lawn to the meadow. Abagail stopped at the edge and watched as Harry walked along the crushed dead grass from his earlier attempt. He made the switch and then dropped with a thud onto all fours and brought his head down so it was close to Abagail. She stepped up and laid a hand on the warm scales of his snout and said,

"Alright, Harry, here we go. Think about the images."

He did so and immediately the additional images swam into focus. He watched as Abagail's eyes tightened in concentration and then suddenly popped very wide. She stood frozen for a moment or two and then slowly toppled over backwards. Harry immediately made the change back and ran forward to kneel at the girl's side. Her eyes were still as wide as Harry had ever seen and they seemed to stare blankly at the night sky.

"Abagail? Can you hear me," he said taking hold of her hand and patting her cheek lightly. "Abagail."

Her eyes seemed to regain some focus and then she blinked once, then several times in rapid succession. Then she rolled her head to the side and locked eyes with Harry. She let out a sigh and said,

"Bloody hell."

It was only the second time Harry had heard her swear.

"Are you alright, little one?" he asked anxiously.

"I think so," she said as he helped her sit up. "Wow."

"Wow what?"

"I made a bit of an error there, Harry. With Norbie or Beaky, I had to open up my mind a lot to make contact with them. I did the same thing here and it was overwhelming. I don't think you have any idea how big a mind that dragon has. It all came at me in a rush."

"Do you feel alright?"

"I think so. I little stunned maybe. I think I'd have to go the other direction. Tighten everything down as small as I can and work up to where I can understand what you're seeing. But not tonight," she said with a small grin.

"Too right, not tonight. Come on, let's get you inside," he said and he helped her to her feet and then to her surprise he swept her up and proceeded to carry her inside.

"Harry, what are you doing?" she said with a giggle.

"You didn't look too steady on your feet so I figured I'd save you another fall."

She put her arm around his shoulder and said,

"My Prince Charming."

"I thought Angus was."

"You were my first, Harry, you were my first."

It wasn't until a week later on a sunny but cool late winter Saturday that they tried the experiment again. Abagail had to squeeze down the link between herself and the 'dragon' Harry to a very narrow aperture to prevent a repeat of the last attempt. Even still, as she later told him, it was as if she was standing at the edge of a vast chasm that was waiting to swallow her up. She was able to focus on the images he was able to comprehend but the overall effort was very taxing and she was only able to complete two sketches before she had to break the link.

"My goodness, that's tiring,' she said.

"I don't think this is going to work, little one. With the amount of information that's up here," he said, tapping his forehead, "we'd be at this for the next century and we still wouldn't be done."

"I'm sorry, Harry," she replied glumly.

"For what? I doubt there is anyone else in the world that could do anywhere near what you're doing. We just need to find a different way. Come on, let's go inside and get something to eat. That should help you feel better."

Harry was starting to feel a little frustrated. He was sure that the images meant something important but he wasn't able to figure out what. He needed to get back to the cavern and just after the turn of Spring he got his opportunity. Hagrid had motioned Harry aside one morning just before breakfast and told him that Zentese had sent word that he was requested to meet them as soon as possible. Since Hagrid was smiling when he told him he had to assume that it was going to be good news. In the afternoon of the following day Harry made his way to the small clearing near the forest's edge. When he arrived he found the Elder, his friends Bane and Ronin and a handful of others waiting for him.

"Friend Harry Potter," Zentese began, "welcome back to the forest."

"Thank you, Elder. I'm pleased to be here."

"It is I who am pleased to be able to tell you that your place within the herd is secure," the Elder said.

"I am most gratified to hear that and I thank you for your support in all of this," he said, taking in the three who stood before him.

The Elder gave him a solemn nod and then said,

"I wish we could have informed you sooner, Serpent King, for the decision was arrived at not all that long after you left the circle. That afternoon in fact. However, we had decided to hold any pronouncement until we were sure that Celstus and his band were in agreement. This took a number of days."

"I guess I wasn't too convincing then," Harry said with a rueful smile.

"Quite the contrary, Serpent King. The demonstration of your might tempered by the display of your wisdom in opening yourself to Celstus so that he might gain understanding was persuasive in the extreme. The problem that arose was that Celstus went into a form of isolation. He would walk out into the forest for days at a time and when he returned he neither spoke nor associated with others. It was only a few days ago that he finally came to us and professed his agreement with the rest of the herd as concerns your place among us and his feeling of unworthiness to be a part of the community."

"What? You mean he left?" Harry asked, knowing what being apart from a herd means to a Centaur.

"No, Friend Harry Potter, be at ease. He did not leave voluntarily nor would we cast him out. What you showed him was a side of humans of which he could not conceive. It caused him to question his vision of the world and his understanding of our community. He will need time to reconcile himself to this new knowledge. He will have the assistance of others wiser than he and in time his place, too, will be secured. Do not be surprised that in time he does not seek you out as part of that reconciliation," the Elder said.

"I will be available at any time, Eldest."

"Of that we had no doubts, Serpent King," Zentese said mildly. "Now that we have settled this most vexing issue, what now?"

"Several things, Eldest. Firstly, I need to return to the cavern to try and discover what I may of the information that was uncovered there. Secondly, I would like to speak with Friend Morgotta if I may before I leave. Her assistance with our project is needed. And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, I need to find a way to interact with the herd on a more regular and frequent basis. I have not forgotten your words."

"They were not intended to find fault with you, Serpent King, but to rebut the allegations made by Celstus."

"Nevertheless, Eldest. Your words were true enough. The herd accepted me as a member of your community, your family. Just as the Weasleys had. I made great efforts with them not to take that for granted. I have not done so well with the herd. I would ask that perhaps you might think of ways so that can be corrected, as will I," Harry requested.

"We will do so, Friend Harry Potter," the Eldest replied.

Having said this, Zentese turned and motioned one of the Centaurs from the edge of the clearing forward. With a few words he sent him off as a messenger to summon Morgotta to the clearing. He then turned and faced Harry.

"While we await the arrival of the lore master, please, inform us of what your efforts have revealed."

Harry began to describe what he and the students, with Morgotta's assistance, had been able to figure out. He freely admitted that more than a little of what they surmised was based on assumption and analogy but that it did seem to fit the available information. Their conclusion to date was that the cavern and the structure within had been constructed by a yet unidentified race of beings that had been able to tap into a node of at least three lines of power. At some point humans or their precursors had come in contact with this race and at some point the lines had shifted and much of their power was lost.

Furthermore there had been some movement back and forth from the isles to the mainland and back based on the extent of the various glacial periods. After the last one, and before the forest had taken root, someone had constructed the stone entrance way to the old tunnel and placed the marker stones in the spiral pattern that existed in the present forest. He described his encounters with the pillar in more detail. At some point Morgotta had arrived because when Harry finished he saw her standing off to one side listening intently.

Zentese regarded Harry for a moment or two and then gave a single nod before saying,

"One thinks that you would make a skilled Reciter, Serpent King. These are the ones who tell the stories that comprise our history and educate the young. You have truly found your calling among the young of your kind. One wonders if there might be a way for the herd to benefit as well."

"I had made a suggestion to Friend Morgotta that perhaps there was a way for her to provide some basic information to some of the Hogwarts students. Perhaps we could try and make it work both ways," Harry replied mildly.

"It is something to think about and discuss. But that is for the future. Let us return to matters of the present. You are of course free to come and go as you please. If you require assistance in your return to the cavern, Bane and Ronin will be available to provide it, as will Morgotta. We ask only that you share what you learn as best you can. We believe such openness would prevent a reoccurrence of the recent difficulties."

"I will do so, Eldest, and thank you."

"It is we who thank you, Serpent King, for your patience and good faith. Until next time," Zentese said and extended his hand.

Harry exchanged grips with the elder, as well as Ronin and Bane and watched as they turned and moved back down the trail, followed by the others. Only Morgotta remained in the clearing with Harry. She approached him with an odd expression.

"Greetings, Friend Morgotta. Thank you for coming. My students asked if you would be willing to meet one last time to review their work. It is getting to be time for them to submit their project."

"I would be pleased to, Serpent King. Have them come to Hagrid's hut tomorrow after their classes are done and I will meet them there," she replied.

Harry nodded and then looked at the Centaur.

"Is all well with you, Friend Morgotta?" Harry asked.

"Well enough," she replied.

Harry regarded her with a tilt of the head that invited more. The Centaur let out a sigh of sorts and then said,

"I find that I have come to live in unsettled times, Serpent King. As a lore master I have always found comfort in the stories of our past. A past that was deep and well rooted. Then you came among us and even the past is not what it once was. I find myself as unsettled as the times."

Harry looked at her somber face and smiled a bit as he nodded.

"I can understand your feelings, in part at least. My past, before discovery of my true nature, was settled. Unpleasant, yes, but very predictable. Since then my life has been a near constant journey of discovery, upheaval and unique experiences," he said, the last comment accompanied with a wry smile. "Fortunately, for the most part the journey has been a good one. Along the way I have found family, friends and a deep sense of purpose. I hope that you can derive some benefit from what you have experienced."

"The uncovering of new knowledge has provided for a sense of satisfaction, Serpent King, that is true. My close association with humans of late has proven more problematic. Until recently I was one of those that strongly advocated for the continued isolation of the herd from contact with humans. My studies of the lore convinced me that there was nothing to be gained and much to be lost from any increase in cooperation."

"You seemed willing enough to join us for the project," Harry suggested.

"For reasons of my own, Serpent King. Your description of the presence in the forest was both interesting and somewhat alarming so I thought it was worth the effort to assist in your investigation, on behalf of the herd. It was then that I was forced to reconsider my long held opinions."

"May I ask why?" Harry inquired.

"Certainly. Firstly it should be said that there are many among the herd who are willing to accord you the honors and respect that have been granted largely because they see you as an exception among your kind. They, we, see that despite your powers and accomplishments you remain humble and respectful of our ways. However, as I came to know your students better, the young female in particular, I began to have my doubts about the universally held opinion regarding your kind. During our times together as we explored I came to know about her hopes and dreams as well as her fears and uncertainties. I was shocked to realize that they were little different in substance then those of my own at that time of life," Morgotta said.

"What about the boys?"

Morgotta gave a small laugh in the style of the Centaurs.

"They too reminded me of the young males of my kind. The awkwardness, the boasting, and the constant observation of females. Ogling I believe Friend Amanda Quonset called it. Such revelations have given me much to think about."

"I suppose that accounts for your reaction to my idea about sharing some basic lore with some of my other students," Harry said.

"In part, Serpent King. I think the Eldest is interested in the idea and there will be much discussion," she replied.

Harry merely nodded.

"I look forward to hearing the results. I will leave you now, Friend Morgotta. As always I appreciate your candor and forthrightness. Be well," he said as he held out his hand.

Morgotta gripped his forearm in the manner of the Centaurs and Harry covered her hand with his free one. Morgotta did likewise. When they released their grips Harry smiled a bit and then turned to go. He only went a few steps when Morgotta called to him.

"Serpent King."

"Yes?" he said as he turned to face her.

"Had Celstus not relented, would you have destroyed him?"

Harry's eyes widened but he replied levelly,

"Of course not. He is entitled to his opinions as is any intelligent being. I simply wanted him to know the facts."

Morgotta nodded then said,

"It is not widely known among the herd but apparently the only thing he said to his followers after you departed was that in the moment you made contact with him he realized that you could have destroyed him in an instant. It would seem that some have interpreted that to mean it was in your mind to do so."

"The thought never occurred to me."

"I am glad to know that. Fare thee well, Friend Harry Potter."

"Fare thee well, Friend Morgotta."

Harry walked the short trail back towards Hagrid's hut deep in thought. Morgotta's revelation concerning her doubts about her long held beliefs as a result of her contact with the three sixth year students made Harry more determined than ever that increased contact between her people and his could have similar results on both sides. When he returned to the castle he sent for his team and informed them of the impending meeting with Morgotta the following day. Then he made his way to the anteroom behind the dais to spend some quiet time considering what he had heard that day.

One thing he was determined to do was go to the cavern that Saturday to see if he could make any sense out the images with the help of the pillar. What he wasn't sure of was whether he should take anyone with him. Eventually prudence prevailed and he asked Ron if he would be willing to go along. Ron agreed but he had to wonder what he was going to do while Harry was 'communing with the powers' as he called it. Abagail asked if she could come along so that while Harry was otherwise occupied she could do some sketching and mapping of the cavern with Ron's help. She said she would ask Angus to come along this time and Harry was compelled to explain why that wasn't a good idea.

"Angus is afraid of the forest?" she asked.

"I don't know if it's so much that he's afraid of it now, but he was certainly on that day and being near it brings back those memories and he's not interested in dealing with it right now. You might be able to persuade him at some future time but I wouldn't suggest it now," Harry replied.

Abagail shook her head a bit and said,

"It's funny how no matter how well you think you know someone, they always seem to be able to surprise you at some point."

With that settled the little band arrived outside of Hagrid's hut on Saturday morning. It was cloudy and threatening rain but it was almost warm. Spring was coming to Hogwarts. Hagrid stepped out of his home and Norbie bolted through right behind him. It was quite a reunion for Abagail and the big Mastiff. At least a quarter hour passsed before the dog was even marginally satisfied with the attention he was getting and Abagail promised to stay and visit after they came back out.

The walk in was uneventful. Harry could tell that they were being observed by Centaurs who were keeping back out of sight. When they reached the edge of what was formerly the area of the big spiders he could sense nothing of the eight legged monsters.

"Looks like Aragog's family is dwindling away to nothing, mate," he said to Ron.

"I hope you don't mind if I don't shed any tears over it, Harry," Ron said, his voice tinged with disgust.

Harry's laugh rang through the trees. The turn off along the trail that led to the rock pile was now clearly visible, having been worn down by those Centaurs who shared the duty of watching over this place.

"Must be dead boring having to stand around watching trees growing and rocks do nothing," Ron said as they walked along the track.

"Any more boring than walking around Hogsmeade after everything shuts down?" Harry asked.

"You might have a point there, mate."

As they neared the pile of rock that marked the entrance to the cavern a large male Centaur stepped out from behind a large tree, holding an undrawn bow. When he recognized Harry he took an involuntary step backward and lowered the bow.

"Hail, Serpent King. We were unaware of your coming here this day."

"I would have been surprised if you had, friend. I chose to keep today's effort small. I do appreciate your vigilance," Harry said with a smile.

"We do our part to safeguard this site, but in truth it is a most odd place," the Centaur replied.

"Indeed it is, most likely far stranger than we'll ever come to know. Might I know your name, friend?"

"I am Senastan, Serpent King."

"Hail and well met, Senastan. These are Abagail Westwood and Ron Weasley," Harry replied.

The Centaur nodded and stood aside, gesturing for them to pass. The little group walked by, Abagail giving Senastan a smile and Ron offered a brief nod. Unlike the others, Ron was not entirely comfortable in the presence of the Centaurs. A second Centaur was visible at the entrance to the cavern. It was another male that Harry didn't recognize. He appeared older than the first.

"Welcome, Serpent King. Another day of exploration?" he asked in an almost jovial tone.

"Indeed it is," Harry answered. "Although I'll likely end up with more questions than answers."

"Such is the way of life, is it not?"

This Centaur's attitude was something Harry wasn't quite prepared for. While he was not smiling, his face wasn't cast in the usual dour expression. His tone of voice could almost be described as lighthearted. As he stepped aside from in front of the passageway he said,

"If you are in need of any assistance send a signal of some kind, a noise or bright light. We will watch for such."

"Thank you," Harry said.

It wasn't until some minutes later he realized he hadn't asked for a name. All three of them lit their wands and walked briskly towards the far end. The wooden bridge across the hole that had swallowed Harry the first time was still there and gave no hint of any strain as they walked across. A brief walk beyond brought them to the wall that appeared to be a dead end for the passage. Harry looked up to his left and found the spot where he laid his hand over the barely discernable discoloration. With a touch of dragon added the rock wall shifted minutely. He then went over to the left side and with both hands and bit more dragon pushed the 'door' open.

The three walked down the stairway, Harry and Ron together and Abagail bring up the rear, although only one step behind. Again the big cavern beyond the bottom of the spiral staircase was dark beyond the influence of the 'lumos' spell.

"I'd like to try something if you don't mind. When we step out into the cavern I'd like to let go of the lumos spell for a few moments," Harry said.

"Alright with me, mate," Ron said, although he wasn't entirely convincing.

"Ok, Harry, but you better be holding my hand when you do," Abagail said.

Harry reached out and took the small hand in his and let his wand wink out. The other's followed and the darkness closed around them. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Harry tried. Then he let the dragon surface enough for his eyes to alter and the darkness faded away somewhat. As he looked around in the vaguely reddish light he could make out the wall off to the right and the backside of the structure to his left.

"Can either of you see anything?" he asked.

"Not really mate, but it does seem as if it's not so dark. I think if I spent some time getting my eyes adjusted I might be able to see something after awhile," Ron said.

"Same here, Harry. I wonder if maybe it was sunnier outside or more light made it through the trees it might help."

"Perhaps, little one. I did notice that some of the images were lighter at times. Using the dragon I can see some things, but it all has a reddish overtone. Alright, enough of that. Let me shift back and then will light up the wands again. But slowly."

Harry let the dragon go a bit and his eyes changed back. The darkness rolled back in and then he muttered 'lumos' softly and his wand began to glow a bit. In that near absolute darkness it was like a small sun rising. The others did the same and after a bit the chamber was bathed in soft white light.

"Ok, let's get me settled in and then you two can start on the mapping and drawing, if that's alright with you?" Harry asked.

"Sounds like a plan," Ron said.

They walked across the cavern floor and around the one side of the structure. Once on the other side they did a quick look at each of the ground floor rooms to make sure nothing had changed. They were the same empty spaces that they left the last time. Telling the other two to stand clear, Harry walked out to approximately the spot he recalled from last time and laying himself flat on the floor, he made the change. He scuttled back the few feet necessary to get his tail inside the middle ground floor room that held the pillar and then got himself settled. He rested his chin on the floor and closed his eyes. He brought the base of the end of this tail in contact with the pillar and he could feel the lessened but still significant flow of energy. He tried to concentrate on the images he knew were there and slowly they began to float to the surface. Apparently the lower level of energy coming from the pillar made the rush more of a steady flow. At random he selected an image and tried to stop it as it went by. His first few attempts failed but when he finally thought 'stop' the image froze in place.

Meanwhile, outside, Ron and Abagail waited for the renewed light show from the previous visit but there was nothing, simply an elevated background humming. The two looked around in the glow of their wandlight and then Ron shrugged and looked down at Abagail and said,

"Bit of a disappointment, really. Hogging all the good stuff to himself again, it seems."

Abagail laughed a bit and then said,

"Well, I guess we should get to work. Let's take some measurements and see how big this place really is."

She reached into her back pack and pulled out a note book and a small device of some kind.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"It's a measuring device that uses a special kind of light. They call it a laser. My dad had one when I was a little girl. Your dad mentioned it when he heard about what we were going to do. Harry bought it at a muggle shop. We just have to be careful we don't shine it in anyone's eye," she said as she handed him the device. "Just aim it at that wall down there and push the button, then read the number to me."

Ron did so and they began to record the numbers as they first measured each space and then the structure, and after that the ground floor rooms. They had to walk around the back to get to the ones on the other side of Harry's tail. Meanwhile, Harry was slowly sifting through the mass of images as they paraded by his mind's eye. He knew that today was just an attempt to work out the methodology but he wanted to at least take a look at a few in detail. One was the image of the eleven beings standing around the pillar. Again he found himself looking as if he was up in a corner of the room peering down on the assembled robed figures. He was trying to take in the details and see if there was anything that would give a clue as to who or what they were when the one that was directly opposite from the doorway looked directly up at him. While he could see no eyes in the darkness of the deeply cowled hood, he knew 'eye contact' was being made.

"What manner of creature are you?" he said to himself inside his own mind.

He was startled to 'hear' his own voice speak to him but before he could form a thought he 'heard' himself again.

"Of course you hear your own voice. My thoughts must be filtered through your mind and use your faculties to form the message. Again, what manner of creature are you?"

"My name is Harry Potter," he replied.

"Your appellation is of no interest to us. What is of interest is how you may observe us and why there are two of you where only one should be. Will you answer the question?"

"I am a human," Harry began, "a wizard, um, a user of magic, of energy. I can also take the form of a dragon, as I have now."

"A human," the voice sounded uncertain and Harry thought he 'felt' something rummaging in his mind. "You mean those silly creatures that roam the plains dressed in dead animals? How surprising. We never thought they would survive. You seem to be very far away yet very close. Explain."

The last word was so preemptory that it took Harry by surprise and he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"From what little I understand of this place I believe we are communicating across a large space of time, yet physically we are only feet apart, in fact part of me is touching the pillar right now."

"Ah, that explains much. The energy flows capture much that flows with them. Interesting. So you are the future it would seem. We would not have surmised that those sons of monkeys would amount to very much. It would seem we should give them more consideration. Why are you here?"

Again the preemptory question at the end of a comment. Harry took a deep mental breath and told the story of the presence in the forest and what had occurred up until that moment.

"I am simply trying to understand what the flood of images have to tell me," he concluded.

"As I have told you, the energy flows capture what passes through and with them. Anytime they are used or influenced an imprint is made. You have found a way, however it may be, to draw on those imprints."

"But it felt like they were coming from within, that the energy merely released them," Harry said.

Again he felt the rummaging feeling.

"To you it would seem that way. The flows moved first to your lower mind, releasing the image to you that then take natural pathways to your upper mind. The message is still the same."

"How can you tell all that from so long ago? It feels like you're reading my mind," he asked.

"It is a short story, easily read, even across such a gulf. The energy flows connect all."

Harry wasn't sure he liked the idea of his mind being referred to as a short story, but then again, he had no idea what these beings might understand. He tried to form a link similar to what he had with Celstus but he got nowhere. It was like trying to penetrate a steel wall.

"You have abilities, creature, but do not attempt such again. Were you to succeed it would quite overwhelm you. What is this dragon that you spoke of?"

"A large reptile, that can fly," he replied.

Another rummaging.

"Ah, those," the comment almost sounded humorous. "We know of them, too. Long have we been rivals."

"You are enemies?"

"No, rivals. For resources and living spaces. We share a liking for such. How very strange. You interest us, creature. Should you find your way to this place again, seek us. We may choose to communicate with you further."

With that final statement whatever link that had been disappeared. The image in Harry's mind froze in its original form with all the beings looking at the pillar. Harry decided he had had enough and he took his tail off the pillar and withdrew it from the room. He opened his eyes, seeing the cavern chamber in much of the same reddish glow as before. He turned his head and saw that one of the rooms at ground level was lit up. He was getting ready to turn back when Abagail came dashing out waving her illuminated wand in the air. She was moving towards his head so he dipped it down and waited.

"Harry, please don't change yet. Can you help us get up to the other rooms, please," she shouted as best she could.

He would have to remind her he had very good ears as the dragon. He looked at Ron who was standing by the end of his tail and he got an idea. He got closer to Abagail and let a little of the human side surface and he managed to grind out,

"Climb on the end of my tail."

Abagail's eyes popped and she stared at him. He simply thumped his tail a time or two and it broke the spell.

"Sure thing, Harry," she stammered out and then hurried back to Ron.

Harry couldn't hear what Abagail was saying but suddenly Ron looked up at him. Harry flicked his tail again. With a shrug Ron climbed on and Abagail followed. Slowly Harry lifted them to the first room on the second level and they managed to scramble off into the room. He watched with some amusement and then waited while the light bobbed around the room. They came to stand at the doorway and he repeated the procedure until they were in the top room that held the engraved image on the wall. He shifted himself around until he could bring his face to the doorway. With one eye at the opening he could make out the shape of the head. In the light of the wands that were moving around the room it appeared as if the eyes had shifted to look back at him.


	56. Chapter 56

Professor Potter, Chapter 56

Harry sat in his comfortable chair in the library preparing himself for a trip to that gray place. He had returned home from the cavern late that afternoon with, as had been predicted, many more questions than answers. He was hoping that perhaps Professor Dumbledore and Merlin might be able to help him sort some of it out. He found the idea that he had been communicating with beings across a vast gulf of time to be more than a little disconcerting. The time he had spent sitting in Hagrid's hut while Abagail played with Norbie outside after they had come out of the forest hadn't help clarify much.

He settled himself a bit more into the cushions and then willed himself to relax. As his breathing slowed he could feel the warm lassitude wash over him and the darkness behind his eyes lightened until he could see the swirling mist just at the edge of his vision.

"Professor Dumbledore, Merlin, are you there, sirs?"

Harry waited a moment and then tried again,

"Hello, is anyone there? Professor?"

"Harry, is that you?" came the familiar sound of his mentor's voice.

"Yes, sir."

"One moment, my boy."

It wasn't long before the tall slender figure of Albus Dumbledore parted the mists, followed closely by that of Merlin. The Professor smiled and said,

"Harry, it is so good to see you. It has been a while since we've met here."

"Yes, sir, it has. It's good to see the both of you as well."

"Greetings, young Harry," Merlin added. "Something new is afoot, yes?"

"Actually, something very, very old it would seem. I came across something very unusual regarding the forest presence and I'd like to get your opinions on it," Harry replied.

"Of course, Harry. Please, tell us all about it, in your own time," Dumbledore said.

Harry laid out for the two wizards all that he and the others had discovered since the last time he talked to them about the forest. Neither of them interrupted or changed expression while Harry provided the details. At the mention of the 'conversation' between himself and the robed being, the two did exchange a brief glance at one another. Harry finished with,

"So, sirs, what do you think?"

Several questions were asked before any opinions were offered. Dumbledore wanted to make sure of how the conversation began, who initiated it. Merlin was interested in the description of the 'rummaging' Harry thought he felt. Then there was some whispered conversation between the two as Harry waited. Finally Dumbledore looked at Harry, pursing his lips a bit before saying,

"Once again, my boy, you present us with questions unlike any other. Firstly, I would say that it is highly unlikely that you did in fact make contact with these beings across the actual gulf of time. It is much more likely that you were in contact with some shadow of them that remains within that room you described."

"I would have to agree, young Harry. The phenomenon is, after all, well documented," Merlin added.

"Sir?" Harry replied, confused.

"Think for a moment, Harry," Dumbledore suggested with a slight grin. "You of all people are well acquainted with its manifestations."

Harry thought for a moment and then in a flash of realization wanted nothing more than to slap his own forehead. He thought of the ghosts at Hogwarts, his own mother walking about the house, all those talking paintings, even the vision that Abagail had of Merlin as she touched the sheets from the Tome.

"Just so, Harry," Dumbledore said. "My guess would be that for this particular event, the key is the lines of power, or flows as your new friends called them. According to what you were told, the images of events that were revealed to you that first time were imprints on the flows. One could surmise then that these beings were themselves imprinted in some fashion on those self same flows. Perhaps as a result of whatever it was they were doing at that time. A spell or enchantment perhaps. It may also be that they were completely unaware that it was happening at the time. Perhaps their connection to the flows to make use of its power extracted some price, drawing some part of their essence."

"This reminds me of a situation from my early days when I was, I imagine you would say, a journeyman in our trade," Merlin began. "In one of the small desert kingdoms there was a magician of some power and ability. He was constantly afraid however that someone would find away to steal his power from him so he worked a conjuration that imbued much of his energy into a talisman of sorts. A rather crude and ugly thing, for he was a far better magician than he was a sculptor. He used it as a headpiece for a staff he always carried. When needed he could draw upon its power. There was only one problem. He left it somewhat open ended. In the end the thing he feared the most, he did to himself. The talisman slowly sucked the power and life right from him. It was said he was quite the walking cadaver there at the end. It was also said that for many years afterward the staff with its headpiece seemed to have a life of its own. It would be seen to rattle on its rack or even turn as if to watch someone as they moved by. Eventually it disappeared."

"So what you're saying then is that some part of who those beings were is held within the lines and when I made contact the second time and really concentrated I was able to connect with it. Sort of what we are doing right now," Harry said.

"I would think so, Harry. It seems much more plausible than a direct link between living beings eons apart. Then again I could be completely of the mark," Dumbledore said with a small smile.

"Merlin, sir, I once described to you what had happened with Abagail when she touched the pages from your Tome. Do you recall ever having had the feeling that someone was observing you in that way?" Harry asked.

"I can't say that I ever did, young Harry. I'm sure it would have been something I would have remembered. As Albus so ably put it I believe that was your young lady connecting with some bit of me that was imbued in the parchment."

"If that is true, then, I better have a care with that cavern. I don't want to end up like your friend the walking cadaver," Harry said.

"It is always wise to be careful, my boy. However I think you'll find it not to be such a threat. The vastness of the dragon, your own prodigious reserves and what I imagine would be the relative infrequency of the contact should keep you out of harm's way. Despite their being shadows, I think it might still prove very edifying if you can continue your discussions with these beings. I for one would very much like to know what manner of creatures they are. Based on what you said, it seems obvious we are not related to them," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, sir. They were clearly disdainful of our ancestors. I don't believe 'sons of monkeys' was meant as a compliment."

"Indeed. And rivals to dragons. Most interesting."

"Well, sirs, I think that's all I have right now. I don't want to take up too much of your time," Harry said.

"My boy, remember, our time is your time. It is why we are here and your visits always seem to bring with them the most intriguing ideas," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Indeed, young Harry, feel free to call upon us at any time. And do let us know what else you discover about this most remarkable place," Merlin added.

"Yes, sirs. I will and thank you, as always."

As Harry said this, Dumbledore looked back over his shoulder and then back at Harry.

"Do tarry a moment, my boy. Someone wishes to speak with you."

"Yes, sir."

"Fare well for now, young Harry."

With that the two older wizards turned and faded into the mist. After a moment another figure emerged and Harry found himself looking at himself, minus the bright green eyes.

"Hello, Dad."

"Harry, it's good to see you, son," James Potter said with a smile. "I saw that you were in the neighborhood so I thought I'd say hello."

"I'm very glad you did, Dad. How are you?"

"I'm doing pretty well, all things considered, not that there's much chance for that to change in this place," James said with a wry grin. "More to the point, how are you getting on?"

"All things considered I'm doing quite well, Dad," Harry replied with a grin. "Everyone is healthy at the moment. School is great and this new discovery is keeping me busy."

"Yes, I can imagine. Your mother keeps us up to date of course but it's always better to hear it from the source. How about Quidditch? Are you getting any flying time in?" James asked.

"Not so much, Dad. We've had a few matches at the public park but nothing lately. I do miss that," Harry admitted.

"A public Quidditch park. What a brilliant idea that was. It's going well I suspect."

"Oh, yes," Harry said with a grin. "When the weather is good the place is packed, I understand. Even when it's not so good there is always a match or two going on. And the summer youth league has proven to be quite popular, too. Between that and the camp at Hogwarts, the level of play is really picking up at school."

James nodded and smiled a bit before saying,

"There was a time when I thought that nothing was more exciting than making a grab for the snitch from a power dive. Of course when you get a little older you find other things just as exciting but…" he let the comment trail off.

"I know what you mean, Dad. I've had some pretty wild rides on that broom."

The two began a discussion of some of their favorite rides, catches and oddly enough, crashes. It's strange how something so dreadful at the time could be remembered so fondly once sufficient years had passed. James found Harry's recounting of the time at the park when he was going so fast he literally peeled himself off the broom to be immensely entertaining.

"Good lord, Harry. To be able to fly that fast, what an astounding thing. But I know your life is so much more than Quidditch. I have to say I envy you the adventure your life has become. My only regret is that I'm not there to share it with you," he said with a brittle smile.

"I know, Dad," Harry said quietly. "I miss that, too."

James coughed a bit in embarrassment and said,

"Well, I didn't mean to put a damper on things. It's been brilliant seeing you, son, and talking. I hope we get to do more."

"I'll make a point of it," Harry said, his smile returning. "Oh, by the way, how is Mum doing? I haven't seen her since Aunt Petunia's visit."

"Ah, well, at least now she's stopped mumbling to herself. For a while there she resembled a storm rolling in off the North Sea. We all did our best not to get in her way. I'd think it won't be too much longer before you see her again."

At that point James looked back over his shoulder and laughed a bit. Looking back at Harry he said,

"Speaking of which, it looks like it's time for me to go, son. I'm getting told you've had a long day and need your sleep. Be well and I look forward to our next chance to chat."

"Good night, Dad. I'll see you soon."

With that James turned and walked into the mist. Harry waited a bit to see if anyone else would appear but when no one did he pushed himself back up to full consciousness and opened his eyes and looked right into them. Or a pair that were so similar as not to make any difference.

"Oh, hello, Mum. Dad and I were just talking about when I'd see you," Harry said quickly.

"Yes, something about North Sea storms," she said with a glint in her eyes, but then she smiled. "It's good to see you, son. I'm very happy you had the chance to talk to your father. How have you been?"

"Fine, Mum. How about you? We haven't seen you at all for quite a while."

"I've been about, Harry. Keeping an eye on things, as usual. But your father wasn't wrong. I haven't been the best of company lately so it was prudent that I didn't put in any appearances," Lily said.

Harry nodded.

"Dad said you've been upset since your talk with Aunt Petunia."

"Yes, I have been, Harry. It took some time for me to get things sorted out. The anger, the sense of betrayal, it wasn't pretty. Have you had any contact with them since?" Lily asked.

"Not really. We've been talking about having Dudley and Mary come out. There might be something salvageable with regards to Dudley, and I'm pretty sure that Ginny and Mary will get along. I think Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are a complete write off though," he replied seriously.

"Well, that's something at least. Oh, my poor boy, it broke my heart to hear what she had to say. My mum and dad used to say they never really could understand why she went the way she did. It became pretty clear though that is was mostly jealousy and disappointment. The idea that I was gifted somehow and she couldn't be a part of it really ate at her. We were so close as children. I tried to share it with her, with my letters. But that just made things worse I guess. To know what was out there and have it denied to her," Lily said with a great sigh.

She was 'sitting' on the end of the couch near Harry's chair and she reached out to him. Harry took hold of that just barely there hand and tried to smile encouragingly.

"I could have accepted that if it had been directed solely at me, but what she did to you was unforgiveable and I told her so. I did let it slip that it was a good thing I was so firmly tied to you and this house, otherwise she might find nights at 4 Privet Drive a little noisy in the future," she said with a grim little smile.

"Mum," was all Harry said.

"Oh, I know it was a petty thing to say, but I'm your mother, dear. Not a saint or an angel. What it basically come down to Harry is that I made it clear that if she could not bring herself to reconcile with you, that at the least she shouldn't interfere with whatever may come out of your efforts with Dudley and Mary. No one knows for sure but it might be that in the future you'll be of assistance to them."

"I did offer that up when I talked to Dudley," Harry said.

"I thought as much," Lily said, seeming to draw a deep breath. "So, having said all that and clearing the air, I suspect you'll see me more often around the place. And do try to visit with your father more often. We've tried but he just can't manifest himself here. You need to come to him."

"I'll do that. It was really great getting to talk Quidditch with him," Harry said with a grin.

Lily smiled and said,

"Ah, that's my boy. Now, off to bed with you. It's been a long day and I can see you're fatigued."

"Yes, Mum," he replied as he stood and as best one can do with an ethereal multi-planar entity, he hugged his mother.

His dreams that night were a bit odd to say the least. He watched from a high rocky perch the activities on the plains below. A small encampment of shaggy, roughly dressed people was visible off to one side, smoke rising from a number of fires and great beasts roamed through the grass far towards the horizon. On his other side strange lights flashed from openings in a rock face above a dead end canyon, the opening of which was dotted with strange marking poles, hung with bits of this and that. His dream self took this all in and thought that it was still a bit cold for this time of year.

In the weeks that followed, the weather warmed and green began to return. Harry's team had finished their report and were now preparing their presentation. The other teams had reported similar results and Harry's discussions with those professors that had sponsored projects indicated a great deal of satisfaction with the outcome. At least two teams were working on material that had originated from the Tome, without realizing it. Harry even found time to take in both House Cup and club matches and at least once a fortnight he would take time in the evening to visit with his father James and discuss the results.

He was deliberately taking his time making any further attempts to decipher the images he received from the lines, or flows, below the cavern. He felt he would do better to let his subconscious do some processing before he made the next attempt. He was also wary, despite Dumbledore's assurances, about making too much contact with the pillar and the flows. Right now it was time to concentrate on getting his students successfully through their exams.

He did have to deal with a family issue in the beginning of May. It began for him when he arrived home from school late in the afternoon. As Kreacher let him in through the back door he sensed a great deal of tension in the air.

"Kreacher, is there a problem?"

"Indeed yes, Master Harry. Kreacher suggests Master Harry goes to Miss Abagail's room."

"Alright, I will," Harry replied and he hurried up to the second floor suite that was Abagail's.

As he approached he could hear the sound of a very soft voice being pushed to its limits. He could also hear Ginny trying to offer some comfort. He was sure had it been anyone else he would have heard the noise from the kitchen. He opened the door and stuck his head in.

"What's going on? Kreacher said I should come up."

"Oh, Harry, thank goodness you're home," Ginny said, hurrying over to pull him into the room.

He could see that Abagail was now standing in front of the window that overlooked the side garden. When she turned to look at Harry he saw she was very angry and tears were running down her cheeks.

"What in the world is going on?" he asked.

The girl took in a deep breath and said,

"I was at Diagon Alley with Angus. He had the day off. He got a message from home. His father passed away."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Harry said. "How is he doing? Why didn't you bring him back here?"

"Firstly, he wouldn't let me, he wanted to be alone. But that's not it, Harry. His father died a week and a half ago. His mother wouldn't let anyone send word. She didn't want the devil at the man's funeral. The man has been dead for ten days and his oldest son has to find out from one of his brothers who snuck a message out," Abagail said, practically biting off the words. "How could anyone be so cruel to their own child, their own family."

Harry stood there looking at his daughter without saying a word. After a moment, she realized what she had said and she began to cry again. She took several steps and hurled herself at Harry, who caught her up and held on for a while. Then he pushed her back a bit and holding her shoulders he said,

"It's alright, little one. Unfortunately, it does happen. I think I'll go and see if he'll talk to me. Just try to relax a bit. I'll be back after a while," the last was directed at Ginny who just nodded and smiled a bit.

Between Disapparting and the short walk to Angus' apartment Harry was knocking on his door in less than ten minutes from when he left Ginny and Abagail. He knocked a second time and finally he heard footsteps and the latch being undone. The door swung open and there stood a sad faced Angus.

"Ah, Professor, she tole ye then."

"Yes, a few moments ago. She's very upset. Can I come in?" Harry asked mildly.

"'o course," the young man said, stepping aside to let Harry walk in.

The apartment was the one Harry had arranged for while Angus had been working on the deciphering of the early part of the Tome. Angus had taken over the rent payments when he began his work at the Ministry's new Mysteries Department. It was evident that Abagail had a big hand in decorating the place. It was fully furnished with decent, if simple furniture, and there were several paintings on the walls and a few more small items on the tables. Angus merely gestured to a chair for Harry and then dropped into another directly across. Once Harry was seated he said,

"I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. Is there anything we can do?"

"I doon't think so. M' brother sent a message this mornin'. 'tis all doone. The burial, ever'thin'."

Harry sighed a bit.

"I'm sorry about that, too. It's a difficult thing when a family is the source of your worries."

"Aye, ye'd be knowin' a thing or two aboot that."

"I'm afraid I do. That's one reason I thought I'd come over. If I can make a suggestion, don't spend too much time brooding about it. I know you're not much for talking but just being around other people can help. Would you consider coming home with me? Abagail is pretty distraught. I think it would help her a lot, too."

The young man looked up at Harry and appeared to be considering this.

"Mebbe."

Harry nodded.

"What else will you do?"

"Not much I can. I know where the ol' man is buried. I'll wait a day or two. Go up m'self. Say m' goodbyes," Angus said.

"That would be good, I think. What about your siblings?"

"Oh, we bin stayin' in touch. Letters here 'n there. They'll visit when they're ol' enough."

"I see. Alright, so, will you come back with me?"

"Aye, I think so, Professor."

"Good, let's be off then."

Angus locked up the apartment and followed Harry and shortly they were at the front door. As they walked in a dark blur came down the main hall and hurled herself at the young man. Surprisingly, Angus only swayed a bit but he held on tightly. Ginny walked along behind with a small smile on her face. Harry stepped around the grieving couple and came up to Ginny taking her hand in his.

"Well done you, Harry. Neither one of them should be without the other right now. Did he tell you anything?" she said.

"Not much that we didn't already know. He does plan to go up and visit the gravesite in a couple of days. Beyond that there's not much he thinks she can do. He's been staying in touch with the other children without the mother knowing. The best we can do is give them time and space to work through it."

She nodded sadly. Angus and Abagail wound up in the living room with the sliding door pulled closed. Neither was interested in anything to eat so Harry and Ginny ate a small meal in the kitchen. Nibs wasn't too happy with that but he expressed his understanding and promised a magnificent dinner when all were happy again, as he put it.

After dinner Harry and Ginny made their way to the library where they planned to await events but as they passed the closed living room door something tugged at Harry and he stepped up and listened closely. With a small smile he waved Ginny over and gestured for her to listen as well. A familiar voice drifted through the door and they smiled at each other. They walked hand in hand into the library in a lighter mood. The two young people were in the hands of a real pro.

Two days later Angus and Abagail made the journey, by magical means, to Angus' hometown and paid a visit to the quiet church cemetery where his father was buried. The drab gravesite was a great deal more colorful when they left and in a quiet spot just beyond the town center a small reunion took place. Since the two oldest were of an age where they could be out on their own invitations were offered to come to London for a visit. When they returned to Meadow Crest the healing had already begun.

The time had finally arrived for the sixth year project presentations to be given. Harry still had them done in an informal style but the number of students participating still required the use of the Room of Requirements. It was also necessary that they be done in the evening since there were a number of faculty now involved and they wanted to be present.

Amanda Quonset had been elected to make the presentation for their team. They had been slotted about midway through the agenda for the evening but no one had left just because they were finished so she was speaking to the full room.

"This project was the idea of Professor Potter. During our first class meeting he requested volunteers and William Smithson and Michael Huddleford and myself signed on. As a preface I'd like to say that it has turned out to be the most interesting thing we've ever been exposed to in our time here at Hogwarts. Not only were we afforded the chance to explore the phenomenon that Professor Potter become aware of, we also were able to thoroughly explore the Dark Forest and become acquainted with members of the Centaur community, and I myself got to know one fairly well. We wish to thank Professor Potter for this truly unique experience. Having said that, let's get to the heart of our project."

The young witch spent the next quarter hour summarizing what they hoped to discover and what they ultimately found out. The fact that such a thing existed within such a short distance from the castle had the students enthralled. More than one had a look of speculation on their faces. As she closed her presentation Amanda finished by saying,

"I've been requested by Professor Potter to inform you that the prohibition against unauthorized trips to the Forest is still strictly in force and the location of the site is not part of the report and it is under the protection of the Centaurs. They have assured the Professor that trespassers will be dealt with most harshly. He also told me not to mention the giant spiders in the area, so I won't. Thank you for your attention."

As the audience applauded, Professor McGonagall stood up.

"Well, I must say that was a fascinating report. Well done you, students. Professor Potter, have you made any sense of what was found within the cavern?"

"Somewhat, ma'am. It appears that the lines of power beneath the cavern feed the presence that I first sensed in the forest. They also seem to hold information, if you will, of those that have used it over the eons. There is still much to be learned. Perhaps a follow on project for next year," he said with a slight smile.

The presentations continued and when the last one was completed, Harry stood up and addressed the room.

"Firstly I'd like to say that you've all done an excellent job. It seems like each year the quality of work gets better and better. I would also like to thank the members of the faculty for taking such an active interest in this effort. It has certainly raised the bar in terms of the subject matter and the results. I hope you will continue to support the students in the years to come. If there's nothing else, I believe we are done here. Yes, Professor McGonagall?"

"A moment if you'd allow, Professor Potter," the Headmistress said as she stood up and walked to the front of the room. "I would first like to offer my congratulations to all of the project teams for the work you've done this past term. I've been paying particular attention and I can't remember a time when I've seen so many students so actively engaged in their studies. As the Professor has said the quality of your work has been outstanding. As it happens earlier this school year I happened to run into an old friend who works for the Ministry. We discussed what was happening at the school and when I mentioned the projects she became quite interested. As a result, I will be providing copies of your reports to her with the possibility of promising efforts being considered for grants for continued research. In addition, the Mysteries Department is considering entering into a partnership with the school to create a research institute, not unlike the Potter Institute for Medicinal Herbology, here at the school. Your efforts have been noticed and your achievements appreciated. Again, congratulations and many thanks for your fine work."

There was another round of applause and then a number of excited conversations. Harry looked at the Headmistress with his eyebrows raised.

"You're not the only who can cause some excitement, Professor," she said with a grin.


	57. Chapter 57

Professor Potter, Chapter 57

Harry was sitting on a chair in the front garden of Meadow Crest, looking out towards the meadow itself. It was the first Saturday after the end of the school year and he was enjoying a bit of relaxation. There was a small family gathering going on, with Ron and Hermione, the Grangers and Mum and Dad Weasley paying a visit. He and Ron had played two games of wizards chess, with Ron winning both but Harry had pushed him right to the end. Ron had to grudgingly admit that Harry's game was improving. Right now, Ron and Mr. Granger were having a go, as the older man had described it.

The grandparents had taken control of the children and herded them down into the basement playroom. Ginny and Hermione were walking around the house. Ginny had a few ideas for some minor redecoration and she wanted a second opinion. Harry was enjoying the warm breeze that was blowing across the lawn. The school year that had just concluded had been a hectic one.

His time had been divided, or pulled as the case may be, between the investigation in the forest, his regular teaching duties and the demands of family. The investigation had yielded some perplexing results. The cavern that Harry had literally fallen into appeared to have been created in a manner that left no clues. But that was a minor mystery compared to the mind numbing trove of imagery that had been injected into the mind of Harry's dragon self when he had made contact with the ley lines, or power flows as the ancients had called them.

The ancients represented the biggest mystery of all. As seen by Harry and Abagail, the beings were clothed in concealing robes that gave no hint as to who or what they were other than they stood upright, had two upper limbs and their heads rested atop marginally longer necks and seemed a bit farther forward than a modern human. Beyond that it was all speculation. To further complicate things Harry found that he could communicate with these beings, or so he thought. When asked their opinions, Professor Dumbledore and Merlin both surmised that Harry was most likely communing with some manner of shadow of the ancient beings, much like he had with portraits, his mum and the old wizards themselves.

Upon consideration, Harry didn't mind this so much. It pulled the whole situation back into the realm of the familiar, as least for magical folks, and gave him some hope they could come to understand the strange subterranean space. He was mulling over these possibilities when he became aware of someone approaching him from behind. He looked over his shoulder to see Hermione walking down the steps of the portico.

"What's the matter, Harry? Growing tired of our company?"

"Well, you know how it is, Hermione. Family can get to be so burdensome after a while," he said with a straight face.

He couldn't help but laugh, though, when he saw Hermione's eyebrows shoot up. She chuckled a bit herself as she dragged a chair over to sit next to him.

"So, what did you think of Ginny's ideas?" he asked.

"I think it will look nice. Or nicer. The house looked wonderful from day one, but I can understand how over time she might get some different ideas. So what are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"Enjoying the sun and the breeze. I don't know if Ginny and Abagail realize what a gift they given me," he said with a smile.

"Oh, I think so. I think Ginny said 'I think Harry will really like this' at least once for every change she was thinking of making," Hermione said with a grin. "I'm glad I got the chance to talk to you though. I've been thinking about what you told us about that cavern and your conversation with those people in the robes. Something popped into my head the other day."

"Well, considering what goes on inside your head I'd be very interested in your thoughts," Harry said.

Hermione smiled a bit and then said,

"You know I've told you about how interested my dad is in things dealing with muggle science. Reading the books, watching the special shows on the tellie. Well, I used to watch those shows with him. Even after starting at Hogwarts, during the summer, we'd be together watching all kinds of things. One of his favorite subjects is dinosaurs. One show in particular caught my attention because they did some speculating at the end of it."

"What kind of speculation, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"What would have happened if they hadn't gone extinct all those millions of years ago."

"And what did they suggest that has anything to do with our friends in the robes?" he asked.

"Well, some scientists suggested that if they had had the opportunity, that maybe some of them might have evolved into intelligent beings, like us."

Harry looked at his friend and blinked a couple of times.

"What? Are we talking about intelligent lizard people here? Like from some old monster film?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, I guess so. The idea was that some of the smaller predators were showing signs of developing larger brains, they were very quick physically and they would have had so many millions of years to develop further. Think of how far humans have come in such a relatively short time."

Harry sat and scratched his chin a bit.

"I guess it has some potential, but it's still an awful reach to suggest something like that across so many millions of years."

"Any more so than my dearest friend in the world being able to turn himself into a monstrous great flying reptile?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Hmm, I guess when you put it that way I should keep a more open mind," he said.

"Just something to consider, Harry. Quite frankly, I haven't a clue how this could all be happening. If it was anyone else telling me, I'd chalk it up to one too many knocks to the head."

"You're welcome to come along on the next trip out there," Harry offered.

"Um, thanks, Harry but I think I'll have to go along with Ginny on this. While I love having the opportunity to delve into these mysteries with you, my friend, I think I'll pass on the field work. Ron does a very nice job of describing it for me. He has the policeman's gift for detail," she said with a smile.

"What details would those be?" Ron asked as he walked up behind them.

"Oh, Ron, what happened to the chess game?" Hermione asked over her shoulder.

"I guess your dad's head wasn't in the game. He went down pretty quick in the first game and your mom wanted him back down in the playroom before we could get the second one going. So, what details are we talking about?" he said as he sat down on the grass, leaning back against Hermione's legs.

"We were talking about the caverns. Hermione is content to have you tell her about the place instead of coming along on our next trip," Harry explained.

Ron laughed and nodded,

"Yup, that's about right. She won't hesitate to throw herself down the side of a frozen mountain with two sticks strapped to her feet but you can't get her to take a walk into the forest on a warm summer day."

Hermione squinted at her husband and lightly smacked him on the back of the head. Ron flinched away with a laugh and then said,

"Let me know when you're ready to go back, Harry. I could use the change of pace."

"What's going on, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Well, Ms. Muntab has me doing a bunch of stuff for her, so I don't get out on the street so much anymore. Right now Mr. Milligan is putting a lot of emphasis on a recent upswing in magical thefts and the squad has been going out on some search operations. I've been doing a lot of the planning for those."

"Thefts of magical items, or theft using magical means?" Harry asked.

"Both, actually. The few remaining shops in Knockturn Alley have been hit heavily as well as some private homes. It all seems to be targeted at stuff from the dark side."

"I wonder why I haven't heard anything about this?" Harry mused.

"You've been up at school. Nothing has happened around Hogsmeade. Besides, it was strongly suggested that we not say anything about it to you."

"Then why are you?"

"Because you're my best mate and it wasn't a direct order and I thought you should know. I mean I know you don't collect stuff like that, but maybe some of those books you have might be of interest to someone," Ron said.

Harry immediately thought about the Book of Deadly Magic that he had locked up down in the basement and even the Tome might be of interest to someone. He was going to send a message to Bill before the day was out to get some recommendations for increased security spells.

"Thanks, Ron. I appreciate it. I won't mention you told me. And I know how you feel about how work is going. I never really did like office work, but at least it was safer, sort of," Harry said with a chuckle. "On the other hand, consider it a compliment. It's obvious they are recognizing your talent. I'd have to think they have plans for you, mate."

Hermione smiled as she reached forward to run her hands through his red hair. Then she looked over at Harry and asked,

"So what plans do you have for the summer, Harry?"

"Nothing strenuous, I hope. As much time as I can, I'll spend here with the boys and Ginny. I promised Ted he could spend his weekends with us. His gran wants him to start getting ready for Hogwarts. She thinks we can help there."

"I'm sure you can, Harry. I can't believe he's getting ready to go. It seems like just yesterday," she replied.

"Yup, it won't be all that long before our kids are up there."

Ron laughed and said,

"Yeah, all those Potter and Weasley kids running around the place raising havoc. Maybe you'll have to come up with a new group and call it Potter's Army."

"Hey, what makes you think they'll be trouble makers," Hermione said.

Harry and Ron just looked at her, their expressions saying it all.

"Well, I for one am thrilled to know that our children will have Harry up there," Hermione said, giving them a 'look' right back.

"So is that it? Just home and family for the summer?" Ron asked.

"I wish. I figure on two trips back to the cavern, then there is the Tri-School Conference but that's only for a couple of days. I imagine there will be a couple of meetings in regard to the proposed research institute as well."

"So you are going to be a part of that effort, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it would have been hard to beg off, since it was my idea to start up the research projects in the first place," he said with a half smile.

"So, let me see," Hermione began. "You have your Transfiguration classes, the sixth year projects, the exchange student selection committee, the Tome project, this cavern business, the conference, and now this research institute proposal. How in the world do you keep this all organized?"

"Um, mostly, I don't," he said shaking his head. "The class stuff comes first and I do pretty well with that. I'm still using some of the stuff you taught me to keep that going smoothly, but as to the rest it usually comes down to being reminded by someone that I have something to do or someplace to be."

"Who does that?" she asked.

"Whoever. Usually Professors McGonagall or Sprout."

"Oh, Harry," she said, shaking her head.

The next morning, as a result of his message, Harry was sitting in the kitchen nursing a second cuppa while he talked with Bill.

"After what Ron told me yesterday, I thought it would be wise to add some extra levels of protection for the house and strong room in the basement. I thought you could give me some help."

"Sure thing, Harry, but did you think to contact the security folks at Salisbury Construction?" Bill asked.

"I thought about it, Bill, but then I figured that I wanted to keep the strong room a family secret."

"Probably the wise thing to do. Alright, let's see what we can come up with," Bill replied as he pulled a old book from his bag plus a decrepit looking notebook cobbled together from sheets of parchment bound with a couple of sheets of cardboard for covers with leather thongs.

He smiled a bit as he laid the notebook on the table.

"I've had this since I was a fourth year. That's when I decided I wanted to be a curse breaker and treasure hunter. I started writing all sorts of things down from Charms class and DADA. Once I started working I kept notes on the things I encountered and what worked and what didn't. This book and I have been through an awful lot together."

"You know, I've never thought to ask you why you became a curse breaker, Bill. So I will now, what gave you the idea?" Harry asked.

"I blame it all on one of my roommates from Hogwarts," he replied with a laugh. "Timothy Smythe-Pinkerton was his name. He was muggle born and loved to read. When he wasn't working on his studies he had his nose in some muggle story. Titles like 'Treasure Island' and 'King Solomon's Mines'. I guess he liked all the adventure. He was a small sickly kind of kid. So much so that they had to excuse him from broom flying lessons. Anyway, during the first match of my fourth year I got really banged up. Madame Pomfrey did her best to patch me up but it took a while for me to heal. Even with school work I had a lot of free time on my hands so he lent me one of his books to read, 'Treasure Island'. I read it in about three days. Cost me some sleep but I was hooked. I read just about everything he had or could get sent up. And that was that," he concluded.

"I know of those books. Never got the chance to read them. Uncle Vernon didn't like the idea of fairy tales or other kinds of stories. 'Gotta keep your heads out of the clouds' he would always say. Maybe I'll try one out this summer," Harry said.

"Good idea, Harry. But stay away from anything with dragons in it. The way muggles write them, they tend to turn out badly for the big fellas."

Harry could only smile and laugh. After a couple of hours of going through Bill's book and notes the two arrived at a short list of spells, only one of which could be considered a curse. This rather nasty piece of business was reserved for the interior of the strong room. Should anyone penetrate the rest of the security measures what would be waiting behind the locked wood covered, steel core door would truly ruin their day. Several of the spells would require some materials so Harry told Bill he would head to Diagon Alley the next day to buy what was needed and Bill would come over in the afternoon so they could go to work.

After Bill left Harry felt a little better but he still wondered what someone might be up to that required a growing collection of dark artifacts. He hoped it was simply an unscrupulous private collector but he wasn't putting much faith in that notion. Having done what he could for the moment he decided to gathering up whoever was available and head outside for some playtime on the lawn. He wound up with both boys, Snuffles, Ted and Abagail. The younger boys and Snuffle started roughhousing with a ball.

Harry was always amazed at how the big dog behaved around the boys. Considering he weighed somewhere in the neighborhood of seventeen stone he rarely if ever knocked either of them over by accident. He always seemed to be aware of their position and if one or both wound up on the ground it was the result of deliberate action that usually resulted in a thorough face licking. The term gentle giant seemed to have been coined for this dog. Abagail divided her attention between referring the ongoing wrestling match and talking with Ted about his upcoming start at Hogwarts.

"You shouldn't have anything to worry about, Ted. You're a smart kid and you're good on a broom. You'll have lots of fun," she said in her breathy voice.

"I know, but it will be so different. Being away from home for so long. Gran said she's not looking forward to being home alone so much," he said.

"Don't worry about your grandmother, Ted. We'll stay in touch with her," Harry said.

Ted just gave him a bit of a weak smile. Harry looked at him with a tilt of the head and then said,

"Abagail, keep an eye on the unholy trio for a bit. Young Mr. Lupin and I are going to take a little walk."

"Sure thing, Harry."

"Come on, Ted, let's go for a walk."

Ted got up off the grass and fell in step with his godfather. They walked down the path until they came to the trees and then walked into the meadow along the tree line. Once Harry was sure they were out of hearing distance he looked down at Ted and said,

"Alright, Ted. What's going on?"

"Nothin'", came the nearly automatic response.

"Don't try that on me, young fella. For the first couple of weeks after you got your letter you were bouncing off the walls with excitement. Then all of sudden there's this. Why the change of heart?" Harry pressed.

Harry heard the boy let out a long sigh. He looked up at Harry and said,

"I really was excited. And in a way I still am. But the other day I realized that I'm going to be living at the place where my mother and father died. Every time I go past those spots I'll know that's where it happened. And there's probably a window somewhere that if I look out I can see where they are buried."

Harry had a huge knot in his stomach at this point. He had no idea this was bothering the boy. He put his arm around Ted's shoulders and thought for a minute, then something occurred to him.

"I understand what you're saying Ted. That will be a difficult thing for you to deal with. But I can tell you that you won't be dealing with it alone. You know Bill Weasley lost his bother there and he has to see the place where it happened often. There's at least one student I know who's oldest brother died out in front of the school. And then there's me. I knew a number of the people who died, your mum and dad right at the top of the list. So don't feel like you're going through it alone. If you have a problem with it, talk to me or the others about it."

They walked on in silence for a moment and then Ted said,

"I guess I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks, Harry."

"You're welcome, Ted. And that reminds me of something else. You're going to be in a bit of an odd situation when you go up there. It will be something similar to what Abagail went through. At the school I'm going to have to be your professor, not your godfather. So no calling me Harry. The easiest is probably just to call me 'sir'."

"Alright, Harry, sir," the boy said with a bit of a grin.

"And," Harry continued with some emphasis, "if you get into any kind of trouble, you'll have to deal with it like any other student. I can't show you any kind of special consideration or ask anyone else to do it, either. Understood?"

"No problem there, Harry. If I get into any trouble, you'll be the least of my worries. Gran said if she gets any notes from Hogwarts what she'll do to me will make any of your adventures pale in comparison," the boy replied.

Harry couldn't help but laugh and then so did Ted. They continued their loop around the outer edge of the meadow and by the time they were back with Abagail, the boy's mood had improved considerably. The following morning Harry was on his way to Diagon Alley but in the twenty four hours since his discussion with Bill, the plans had changed somewhat. The simple one man trip to acquire certain implements and ingredients had turned into a full family expedition to include, mother, daughter and two sons, plus strollers.

In truth, Harry didn't mind too much since most of the time he would still be on his own since the ladies had other plans and stores to visit. His first stop was to Gringotts to make a quick withdrawal and then after distributing a significant share to Ginny and Abagail he went off to the shop where all manner of legitimate magic could be purchased. When Harry laid out his list the proprietor gave him a glance but who was he to question.

It took about twenty minutes or so to get it all gathered and packaged and then Harry was back out onto the street. He didn't see his family outside so he walked to Flourish and Blotts for a bit of a look around. As he walked in the clerk behind the counter called out.

"Professor, so good to see you, please, if you would. I think we have something special for you again."

"And what might that be?" Harry asked.

"Another collection up for sale. Not quite so extensive as the last but one that contains a number of rare treasures."

"Do you have a list of titles?" Harry asked.

"We are preparing one now. I had thought to contact you later this week, but since you are here I thought I'd bring it to your attention."

"Alright, well I'm interested, of course. When the list is ready send it to the house and I'll take a look at it and let you know. Try and give me some indication of the conditions if you could," Harry said.

"Certainly, Professor. We'll have that to you before the week is out."

Harry did his walk around and found an interesting volume that purported to tell the tale of a magical treasure seeker and after what Bill had told him he thought he'd take a chance on it. When he left the store he saw his family coming towards him on the pavement. A fair number of packages were tucked here and there on the two strollers. Harry had a brief and rather perverse image of his two sons wrapped in brown paper and tied up with twine. As they met, Harry said,

"Well, you look like you've been busy."

"Well, the boys needed some new summer clothes and Abagail needed to pick up a few odds and ends she wants to try to add to her painted pendant line. How did you do?" Ginny asked.

"Got everything I need for this afternoon, plus an interesting book. Oh, and Flourish and Blotts has another collection for me to take a look at," he replied.

Ginny and Abagail shared a knowing look and then Ginny said,

"And he wonders why we decided he needed a library."

"Hey, if I didn't have all that space I wouldn't feel the need to fill it up," he replied in his defense.

As he saw the looks of the two ladies he felt a prickling on the edge of his awareness, like someone was looking at him. As he turned he saw something he hadn't ever expected he'd see. Standing on the pavement across the alley was Draco Malfoy and, apparently, his wife and young child. His former nemesis was regarding him intently but Harry simply nodded and smiled a bit. He heard a bit of a gasp from Ginny as she followed his line of sight and when he turned he saw her whispering in Abagail's ear, all the time regarding Draco with flinty eyes. When Harry looked back across the street he saw Draco moving towards him.

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

"It's been a long time," Draco said as he stopped a few feet short of where Harry stood.

"Yes, it has. I can see some congratulations are in order. Boy or girl?" Harry asked.

"Boy, his name is Scorpius. My wife is Astoria, Greengrass. Do you recall her?"

"I remember a Daphne Greengrass from our year," Harry replied.

"Tory is her younger sister, two years behind us," Draco offered.

Harry nodded and then said,

"You remember Ginny, I'd imagine. My two sons, James and Albus," he said indicating the two boys with a gesture. "And this young lady, is Abagail Westwood, formerly my legal ward, now our daughter."

Draco gave them a bit of a nod in recognition.

"So, I hear you're back up at Hogwarts full time now. The Ministry didn't turn out to your liking then?"

"I did what I thought I needed to do and the opportunity to teach full time was too good to pass up," Harry responded.

"Tory is a bit concerned that considering our history, Scorpius might be in for a tough time if he attends," Draco said, his expression calculating.

"I wouldn't think so. I don't believe a child should suffer for the sins of the father, or grandfather," Harry replied blandly. "And what about you, what have you been up to? The last time I heard you were working for some muggle company in Surrey."

Draco snorted.

"Then you must have heard it from my father. I told him that to get him off my back. I was looking for some different possibilities and found that one. Since everything came apart on him he kept wanting me to get involved in some scheme of his. I had had enough of that. I figured if I led him to believe I was in that bad of shape that I had to pretend to be a muggle to make ends meet he'd wash his hands of me. I was right. He never did talk to me again. I've been working in magical import and export."

Harry could see the expression on Draco's face was bravado. The eyes told it all. The once great Lucius Malfoy had fallen far in his son's eyes and the pain was still there.

"I heard about what happened," Harry said.

"Heard?" Draco countered, his tone full of disbelief.

Harry just shrugged it off.

"Like you said, it's all history."

Their conversation was kept from going any further when Draco's wife called to him.

"Draco, we need to be going. Scorpius is getting fussy."

"Alright, Tory," he called back over his shoulder. "See you around, Potter."

"Most likely," Harry responded.

The Potters watched as Draco walked back to his wife and then the Malfoys headed down the alley. When they disappeared around a bend Harry looked back at Ginny who was looking at him with a tilted head before saying,

"I never realized he had that much courage, Harry."

"What do you mean, dear?" Harry asked.

"He has to know what you could do to him if you chose to. I wouldn't think he'd want to be within miles of you," she said.

Harry just shook his head and smiled a bit and then saw the look on Abagail's face.

"What, little one?"

"Well, if courage is doing what you have to do when you're scared to death, yes, he was courageous. I could feel the fear flooding out of him," she said.

"Funny, how all the bullies in my life seem to be afraid of me now," Harry said.

"Then they've gained some wisdom, at least the ones that are still alive," Ginny said. "Alright, so as not to leave here on such a somber note, let's all go to Angelina's for a treat. Harry gets to pay."

"Hey!" was all he could say before the laughter began.

To say the least, Angelina was thrilled as the Potter clan trooped into the shop. Although it was only midday there were a few people lined up at the ice cream counter. It appeared the bakery goods had taken a serious hit as much of the display space was vacant. But Harry brightened when he saw some of his favorites were still there.

"Well, hello there, folks. Grab a seat and I'll be right with you," Angelina called out.

After a moment Angelina strode out from behind the counter and after enthusiastic greetings said,

"So what can I get for you? I'm surprised to see you here this early in the day."

"Well, we were getting ready to go home but we had a bit of an unpleasant encounter just a bit ago so I thought we needed a bit of cheering up," Ginny said.

"What do you mean? What happened?"

Ginny then described the encounter with Draco Malfoy. Now it was Angelina's turn to change expressions.

"So that creep is back in town, is he? Do you think we'll have any trouble from him, Harry?"

"I don't know, sis," Harry said with a half grin. "He's got a wife and child now. I'd hope that would temper his inclinations."

"Never stopped his father," Angelina said darkly. "But your brilliant wife is correct. Nothing like a bit of sweets to cure a sour mood. What can I get for you?"

Harry settled on some of his favorite biscuits. Ginny asked for a small piece of cake that she would share with the boys and Abagail, with a grin from ear to ear, asked for a vanilla sundae with extra whip cream and a second cherry. Harry looked at her and said,

"I didn't realize you were that upset."

"I'm not. As far as I'm concerned it's just not worth walking through the door for anything less," she replied.

But Ginny was right. When they did return home they were definitely in a better mood. This was good because Harry had a busy afternoon ahead of him. Bill was already there and at work selecting locations for the various 'security measures' as he called them. The car park, and the walkway where it came out of the woods were selected for several spells that would send up a slew of sparkles and a number of loud bangs should someone uninvited show up. The perimeter of the meadow was staked out with some warding spells that would stupefy someone trying to use the trees as cover. There was also some nasty surprises worked into the bushes that dotted the lawns around the house. Bill then tied the whole thing into the security spells on the house that allowed it to recognize certain people as being welcome and others who were not. The master control was a small lawn ornament near the front portico. All Harry had to do was turn it to face due north and the system was armed.

The last item of business was the strong room. Bill pulled a box out of his old work bag and placed it on an empty work table in the basement. It was made of wood and covered with odd figures. He carefully took the cover off and Harry could see a stone carving that somehow defied accurate observation. His eyes couldn't quite come to focus on it.

"So what does this do, Bill?"

"It resembles your Spatial Distortion Portal in a way, Harry. Once it is put in place, anyone who disturbs it gets thrown into a sort of shifted space. You're right where you were but you've been shifted a little out of phase."

"Um, how do you turn it off?" Harry asked looking at the thing a bit nervously.

"You touch your wand to it and say the magic word," Bill said.

"And the word is?"

Bill leaned over and whispered in his ear. Harry started back and looked at his brother wide eyed.

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

Harry began to laugh. Bill carried it, still in the box into the strong room. The reassembled Tome was sitting on one shelf. The Book of Deadly Magic was in a small cabinet that was locked and affixed to the rock wall near the floor opposite the door. He took his wand and placed it against the talisman and whispered the word. Then he took it and placed it atop the book.

"It will start working once it gets dark in here."

"Alright. Thanks for all your help, Bill. I really appreciate it."

"No worries, Harry. I've grown accustomed to the quiet life of a professor and family man, and I want it to stay that way," Bill replied.


	58. Chapter 58

Professor Potter, Chapter 58

Having secured his home with the help of Bill and his bag of tricks, Harry was able to give some thought to what he wanted to accomplish next. But before he could make plans for his next trip to the cavern he had an appointment with the Centaurs. In the final days of the school year he had received an unusual request from the Elder. Harry's idea that the Centaurs and humans could mutually benefit from a more free exchange of information about each other had taken an odd turn. Zentese had requested that Harry share with the herd a more detailed accounting of his own life. It seems that Harry's encounter with Celstus and the marked change in the formerly belligerent Centaur had created a great deal of interest in just what Harry had revealed.

In the conversation that Harry had with the Elder the afternoon before the end of year feast, it was suggested that if Harry would be willing to share this information it would likely solidify the bond of trust to the point that the Centaurs would be willing to share something of their story with some of the Hogwarts students as Harry had requested. It was also suggested that if Harry preformed well in the role of a Reciter it would add to his prestige significantly.

Therefore Harry found himself sitting on a section of tree trunk near one edge of the meeting circle facing a significant number of adult Centaurs, some reclining and others standing. Among them were Bane, Ronin and Morgotta, as well as some he recognized as observers from some of his early meetings in the small clearing and still others he had never seen before. He took a deep breath and began.

"Well, good morning, my friends. At the request of the Elder I'm here to share with you my life story, I guess," he said with a small smile. "It is my understanding that the interest in this particular topic was created by my encounter with Celstus. The fact that it drove him off into the forest for days on end may not be the best recommendation for a morning of story telling, but I'll do my best not to send you off on your own strolls in the trees."

Harry could see his two old friends shake their heads a bit and Morgotta was regarding him seriously. Harry began by describing what he had come to know about his parents when they had left Hogwarts and had become involved in the original Order of the Phoenix. Despite his years of experience as a teacher he didn't take on the persona of a lecturing professor but that of a friend telling a story. As was his habit however, as he talked, he paid attention to the faces and body language of his audience to see if he was holding their interest. The fact that Centaurs were by nature somewhat taciturn made this a bit difficult but at least he didn't see any frowning, or worse, yawning.

In fact, as he began to describe his encounters with Voldemort he noticed more than a few lean forward a bit. One reaction that didn't surprise him was when he talked about the ongoing relationship with his aunt, uncle and cousin. The first time they came up he saw shock and disgust and after that disdain and quite a bit of head shaking.

Harry knew that if he went into too much detail he would be there all day and then some, but he was also sensitive to the idea that just glossing over those details would be something of an insult. As warriors they were particularly interested in his various combats but they also seemed to be paying attention when he talked about the various actions he took to try and help the community to heal after the fall of Voldemort. It was sometime after noon when he finally said,

"Well, my friends, that's about as much as I can think to tell you. Certainly, if you have any questions, I would be happy to entertain them."

The Centaurs looked at each other, as if they wanted to ask something but didn't want to be the first one. Finally, a male asked him about the fight in the Chamber of Secrets. Apparently he wanted to hear some more details of the actual fight. This opened the gates somewhat and several more questions were posed. Finally, Harry heard a familiar voice.

"Serpent King, if I may?"

"Yes, Morgotta, please."

She was still wearing the serious expression he had seen earlier and her eyes looked a great deal more troubled. She took a deep breath and asked,

"Serpent King, why are you here?"

Harry blinked in confusion and the other Centaurs turned to regard her, looking somewhat confused themselves.

"Um, I thought I explained that. The Elder thought it would be helpful."

"No, Serpent King, not in this place at this time, but still associating with those of your own kind and ourselves and all the rest? I have never heard a tale so full of woe, of a soul subjected to such torture. Why have you not simply turned your back and left this all behind?" she asked, her usually calm voice full of anxiety.

Harry was shocked, to say the least at what he was hearing. He was so used to the Centaurs being calm, steady, almost emotionless. It was evident that Morgotta was deeply disturbed by what she had heard and this in turn struck a chord in Harry. It took a moment to get himself calmed so he could answer in somewhat steady voice.

"Where would I have gone? How does one escape the inside of his own head?" he asked rhetorically. "As I related to you earlier, as the time for the final confrontation approached I was pretty much convinced I wasn't going to survive it so I wasn't too worried about what might come after. Having survived I then had to wrestle with the fact that I had lived and so many others hadn't."

He stopped and looked up at the little bit of clear blue sky that was showing through the limbs over the circle. He then looked at those assembled before him and smiled sadly.

"How could I walk away from them? That would have been a betrayal as real as if I had joined Voldemort himself. And of course I found I had many reasons to stay and work for a better world for us all. Some with red hair, and others with long manes and so many others. Does that help any?"

Morgotta regarded him and said eventually,

"I do not know, Serpent King, but I will consider what you have shared."

"Well, if there is nothing else why don't we bring this to an end," Harry said quietly. "There will be time for more discussion and questions in the future."

"Well, said, Friend Harry Potter," Ronin said from his place to the side of the group. "Would you remain a moment?"

Harry nodded and watched as the Centaurs began to file out of the circle, some pausing to thank him and wish him well. When only Ronin remained Harry stood up and walked over to stand in front of him. He looked up into the very serious face of his friend.

"So, any idea at all what that was about, Friend Ronin?"

"I believe so, Friend Harry Potter. It has to do with the nature of Morgotta. You know so few of us, you most likely do not realize how different one Centaur truly is from another. Perhaps it would help you to know that a lore master is the most intelligent among us. Morgotta is perhaps the finest lore master the herd has known in generations. Unfortunately, with that intelligence has come a certainty of thought. You have done much to shatter that certainty. I would think in time, much as Celstus did, she will come to understand you."

"When she does, perhaps she'll be able to explain it to me. Many's the time when I've thought how little I understand myself," Harry said with a half smile.

Ronin snorted and then shook his head. He clasped hands with Harry and was about to take his leave when a voice called out from the trees.

"Hold a moment if you will, Friend Harry Potter," Zentese's voice carried to him.

A moment later the Elder walked out of the trees and crossed the circle to join Harry and Ronin. The Elder regarded Harry solemnly.

"I had wished to be here before you finished, Serpent King, but I was detained. From the looks I saw on those who attended, it must have been an interesting time. I passed some very thoughtful Centaurs on my way here."

"It seemed to go fairly well, honored Elder. However, I'm afraid Friend Morgotta found my life story to be rather disturbing," Harry replied.

"I can imagine so. It was one of the reasons why I had wanted her to be part of your exploration. Her understanding of the lore of the herd is without equal, but we enter a new age, I believe, and I thought it wise that she come to understand more than just the herd."

Harry nodded and then looking from the Elder to Ronin and then back he said,

"I do not mean to offend, honored Elder, or gainsay your wisdom in this, but I would caution you not to let Morgotta or the others draw to many conclusions from my association with the herd. Or from those who accompany me from time to time. There are still more than a few who hold to the old ways. We are not far removed from the time of Voldemort or even those like Dolores Umbridge of the old Ministry. We have made a start with the work of Friend Hermione Granger and I would not trade my place within the herd for any treasure. But we are generations of hard work away from where we need to be."

"There is no offense, Serpent King. Your words ring true. I have no illusions about where we stand, but as Dumbledore saw hope in you, I likewise see hope in some few of my own. We work towards the same ends I believe," the Elder said.

"I believe that as well, Elder. Until we meet again," Harry said with a nod.

"Fare thee well, Friend Harry Potter," Zentese said with an offered hand.

Ronin did likewise and then Harry turned and began his trek out of the forest. As he disappeared into the trees Zentese looked to Ronin and said,

"I believe Friend Dumbledore understated what he saw by more than a little."

"Perhaps the great wizard did not see all there was," Ronin replied.

The following Saturday Harry was sitting in the kitchen at Meadow Crest across from Ron, the both finishing up their breakfast. The fact that Ron had arrived after Harry had started was the only reason they were both working on the few remnants that remained of what Nibs had made for them. Harry was ready to go back to the cavern and Ron was anxious to be out and about doing just about anything. Charlie would meet them at Hagrid's hut. Abagail would not be coming along this time as she and Angus were hosting his two sisters for a visit to London.

"So, Ron," Harry asked as he sipped the last of his tea, "how's the investigation of those robberies going?"

Ron swallowed his last mouthful and nodded a bit.

"Not bad, mate. Had a bit of luck the beginning of the week. Got word that the authorities in the Czech Republic picked up a wizard that had a bunch of contraband on him. Turned out several of the pieces were part of what had been stolen from one of the shops in Knockturn Alley that I was telling you about."

"So the stuff is being sent out of the country then?" Harry asked.

"Obviously some of it is but we don't know if that's the overall plan. We're trying to trace how he got the stuff. No indication yet that he was in Britain at anytime so we figure there's at least one middle man out there. But at least it's something. We're checking all the import export companies," Ron said.

"Hmm, you know, when we ran into Draco Malfoy that day he said he was working for some import export operation," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Yup and he was checked out pretty thoroughly, too. I got a chance to read the report. Still a cocky little blighter, though. When they asked if he was involved in moving stolen goods he laughed and said 'would I tell you if I was?' and then he made some comment to the affect that with his family's reputation did they think he was so stupid as to get tied up in something like this."

"He's got a point. He could open a home for orphaned children with an abandoned animal shelter in the basement and people would still suspect him of being up to something. I'm hoping being a father and husband will keep him in line," Harry said.

"Not like it made any difference to his father," Ron said scornfully.

"That's exactly what Angelina said," Harry said with a laugh.

"And speaking of old friends, Mr. Milligan and company had a chat with another of our old friends."

"Who?"

"Mundungus Fletcher."

"You're joking. They think he's mixed up in this somehow?" Harry asked.

"Not directly, but you know ol' Dung. Also looking for the big deal. They thought it was more likely that he would have heard of something instead of being involved," Ron said and then he tried to hide a smile.

"What's so amusing?"

"Oh, nothing, really. It's just that Mr. Milligan wanted to get Dung to agree to bring anything he found out to our attention and he wasn't being too cooperative."

"And?" Harry prompted.

"Well, apparently, Mr. Milligan said something to the affect that it wouldn't be too difficult to get a message to you and that when you left the Ministry you said that you would be more than willing to help out if they needed you."

"I most certainly said no such thing," Harry shot back.

"Oh, we know that, but ol' Mundungus didn't and I heard he went limp and turned white as a sheet. Fell all over himself trying to promise to be as useful as he could be."

"Just bloody wonderful," Harry muttered.

It wasn't long before Harry and Ron were walking down the path towards Hagrid's hut. Someone was watching for him because they were still a bit of distance away when Norbie came bounding up the path barking. Harry went down to one knee and applied liberal amounts of scratches and ear rubs to the big dog's head. It was a testament to the size of Norbie's offspring that Harry could look at Hagrid's dog and think of the word 'smaller'. Ron added some rubs on the dog's back for good measure and then they resumed their journey.

"Hey there you two," Charlie called out. "Looks like a good day for a walk in the forest. How are things feeling to you, Harry?"

"Same as always, Charlie. That thin film spread out all through the trees. How are you, Hagrid?"

"Doin' jist fine fer an ol' man, Harry, thanks fer askin'. How about ya and yer family?" he replied.

"Doing great, Hagrid, especially your godson. He's probably up to your knee by now," Harry said with a laugh.

Hagrid laughed as well and then waved them on their way. The three brothers plunged into the forest and began their trek. As they neared the clearing Charlie asked,

"We picking up any of your friends, Harry?"

"Not that I know of, Charlie. Someone will be there keeping an eye on things."

"What about Morgotta?"

Harry didn't want to speak of the difficulties the lore master was currently experiencing so he said,

"I understand she has some obligations with the herd that will keep her busy this summer. I'm not sure if she'll have time for us anytime soon."

Charlie just nodded. As before there were no incidents as they went along the path. Harry knew they were being observed, of course, but that was to be expected. Also as expected when they neared the exterior stone structure a Centaur stepped from behind a tree.

"Ah, Serpent King. Welcome."

"Thank you, Senastas. You have the duty again, I see."

"Yes, with two to be on guard all day, every day, it falls every third week or so."

"It's not becoming too onerous a duty, I hope," Harry said with genuine concern.

"Do not be troubled, Serpent King. There is some satisfaction to be had in being a part of this effort of yours and for those who stand watch on the days you call the weekend, there is the chance for an encounter with you."

"As always, my appreciation for your efforts," Harry said as he extended his hand and they exchanged clasps.

Harry, Ron and Charlie made their way into the passage, across the bridge and to the spot where Harry was able to open the 'door' to the circular staircase and the three made their way to the subterranean chamber.

"Harry, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a closer look at this end and see if we missed anything. I'll send up a signal if I need any help," Charlie said.

"Alright. Ron, you want to stick with me or help your brother?" Harry asked.

"I'll stick with you, mate. I don't know how aware you are when you're hooked to that pillar so someone needs to keep an eye on things," Ron said. "It'll be no different then a night shift in the Alley or up at Hogsmeade."

With a little wave Charlie began a close inspection of the wall, walking slowly off into the dark. Harry and Ron walked around the side of the structure and for the sake of thoroughness checked all the rooms along the lower level, but as before, they were empty.

"Alright, Ron, here we go," Harry said as he walked out into the chamber to take his position. Ron went and stood inside the doorway of the last room to the left and Harry stretched himself out on the floor. Within two heartbeats he had made the change and then shifted himself so he could use his tail to make contact. He had been thinking about the approach he was going to take and he thought that if he brought the three lines into contact and made a conscious effort to throttle the energy he might be able to use it to control the flow of images.

As before he brought the base of his tail into contact with the pillar and then using his own strength pulled the one wayward leyline into contact with the other two. The power surge increased dramatically but this time he was ready for it. He thought of an illustration he had seen in the book on automobiles he had given to Abagail years ago. It showed how airflow into the engine was controlled using a throttle plate and a passage called a venturi. In his minds eye he placed the assembly in the path of the power flow and closed the throttle nearly all the way. The flow immediately lessened to a trickle.

"So far so good," Harry thought to himself.

He then called up the flow of imagery and it flashed by as he had before. He concentrated on trying to slow it down but to no avail. He imagined the throttle plate opening a bit more and he thought he could feel the flow start to slow. He made a few further adjustments and finally with the plate about half way open he was able to get control over the flow of images. Since a lot of material had flown by he tried to get back to the beginning but to no avail. Even opening up the energy flow was of no help. He concluded he would need to start over from the beginning having first adjusted the energy flow.

Harry wasn't particularly upset by this outcome since he felt he was making significant progress. What he didn't realize was that the efforts he was making internally were having an external affect and he was treating his brothers to a rather interesting sensory experience. The moment he pulled the third line into place the chamber rang with the deep bell tone they heard the first time. In addition, they were treated to a repeat of the light show that seemed to imbue the brown stone walls with an analog of his dragon hide. As an added bonus, as he began to throttle the flow the tone and intensity of the colors changed. Any concern that Harry had about Ron being bored turned out to be groundless.

Inside Harry's head he was being treated to what he was able to discern as a visual record of the history of the cavern. He didn't let it go on for too long since he had missed so much of the beginning there were still too many questions. He was considering shutting down for the time being when the image of the eleven beings appeared. Harry brought it to a halt and concentrated on the individual that had apparently addressed him the last time. It didn't take long for him to be noticed. The being looked up to the corner where the ceiling and two walls met and 'said',

"Who are you...ah, you've returned. The one who is two."

"Hello again," Harry replied.

"What brings you here, creature?"

"Curiosity. The desire to learn. A hope of finding out something about the history and origins of my kind," Harry replied.

"A lofty purpose and serious ambition. Have you the capacity to accomplish such?" the being asked with what Harry took to be a touch of disdain.

"I believe I should be able to come to some understanding," he replied evenly. "However, without trying, I won't know."

"An obvious conclusion. So, creature, how do you propose to accomplish this edification? Through the viewing of the imagery that has been given to you, or by questioning us and hoping for revealing answers?"

It was a little disconcerting for Harry to 'hear' so much arrogance and condescension coloring his own inner voice but he pressed ahead.

"The first, certainly. As to the rest, that depends on yourselves. Anything you would chose to share would be appreciated," Harry replied mildly.

"And so it should. It is still difficult to comprehend how those sons of monkeys that infest the plains below could have possibly led to anything capable of asking even a basic question."

It occurred to Harry to suggest that the fact that those sons of monkeys, or their descendents at least, occupied the planet in their billions while there was no apparent remnant of these robe wearers but he held that thought, or so he hoped, since he needed whatever good will these beings might have to help solve this puzzle.

"It is our nature," Harry began, "to question everything around us. We've gotten rather good at it over the millenia."

"We shall see, creature. View your imagery and compose your questions. If they are worthy of answers we may provide some."

And with that the connection was broken and the image returned to its original view. Harry snorted a bit and thought that his contact with the supremely arrogant Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape was only practice compared to this crew. But if they were going to turn out to be a significant source of information to help unravel the mystery that was this place, it was something he was prepared to endure.

With a mental shrug he looked inward and within two heartbeats he was laying on his stomach on the cool stone floor. Ron walked over with his illuminated wand held in front of him. Harry rolled over and sat up. He found that after having worked with the energy of the pillar it helped if he took it slowly getting to his feet. Ron held out his free hand and helped Harry stand up.

"So, mate. Something interesting must have been going on. That was some show you were putting on," he said.

"How so?" Harry asked.

"That bell went off again at the beginning and then the green that looked like dragon hide spread all over the walls and then started fluctuating. That was something different. Did you find anything out?"

"I found a way to get the flood of images under control. But I need to start over again, because a lot of the beginning had already flown by. I did have another chat with those robed fellows," Harry said with a smirk.

"Oh really? How'd that turn out?"

"Well, let's put it this way. Imagine Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape as brothers," Harry said.

"Alright."

"It was like talking to their dad," Harry said with a laugh.

Before Ron had a chance to join in a flash of green light lit up the chamber behind the structure. Harry looked up and said,

"Looks like Charlie may have found something. Let's go see."

Harry and Ron walked around the side of the structure and saw the dull glow of Charlie's renewed 'lumos' spell along the wall opposite the staircase about half way up. As they approached he turned to them and said,

"I'm not sure what this might be, Harry, but it looks different to me. I'm not sure why we missed it the last time around."

"What have you found, Charlie?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure, Harry, but it looks like someone was trying to scratch something into the surface here. Just above the floor. See?"

Harry got down on his hands and knees and looked at the section of wall Charlie was pointing to. It did indeed look like someone or something had tried to etch something in the seemingly unyielding surface. There didn't appear to be any sense or pattern to the few scratches but considering the complete lack of any other marks on the walls, with the exception of the dragon head in the uppermost room. Harry touched the marks with the tip of a fingernail and could just feel the scratches. He looked at Charlie and said,

"Well, whoever or whatever tried this didn't make much of an impression. Oh, wow, that was really bad, sorry about that."

"No worries, Harry," Charlie said with a chuckle. "And you're right. If I hadn't held my wand just so I would have missed them."

"What do you make of them, Charlie?" Ron asked as he looked over their shoulders.

"Not much, Ron. I don't know much about rocks and caves and such, beyond what some dragons like to use for lairs, but I'd have to think that it would take the hardest steel or even diamond to make much of a dent in this stuff. Maybe who ever tried this only had some softer material like copper or bronze and after a try or two gave it up for useless."

"I guess he didn't know what the ones who did the dragon face knew," Ron conjectured.

"Well, little brother, considering the amount of time this place might have been around, we don't even know if the two were done by the same kinds of people, or whatever. Harry, you come up with the damnedest mysteries," Charlie finished with a grin and shake of his head.

Ron and Harry helped Charlie examine the remainder of the chamber walls. By the time they left the cavern it was already past noon. As they began their trek out of the forest Harry said,

"I don't know about you but I'm pretty hungry. What do you say to a late lunch at the Cauldron, my treat?"

"Sounds like a plan, Harry," Ron replied.

"You know me, Harry, I never turn down a free meal," Charlie said.

Soon the three brothers found themselves at a table in the Cauldron talking in low tones.

"So what's next, Harry?" Charlie asked.

"Well, based on what that being said, I need to go through those images pretty thoroughly and then see what kind of questions I can come up with. I get the distinct impression that they want them to be really good questions, but don't think I'll be able to come up with any they deem worthy for them to answer."

"The buggers have a bit of an attitude problem, eh, Harry?" Charlie asked.

"In a word, yes. They seem to have a rather large opinion of themselves, at least the speaker does," Harry replied.

"If it gets us some answers I suppose it will be worth it," Charlie replied.

Harry finished off the remainder of his meal when he looked at his older brother and said,

"Charlie if you don't mind my asking, what have you been up to lately besides following me down into a big hole in the ground?"

"To be honest, Harry, not a great deal. Once I finished my last research grant on dragons, interest kind of dried up at the Ministry. I think with everything that happened it's a bit of a touchy subject at the moment. I'm just about done with the dragon book however."

"So what are you living on?" Harry asked.

"Well, the magical creatures book did fairly well so that's part of it. And when I was working on the projects I was drawing some salary and I didn't have much to spend it on so I have some savings. But I guess I'll have to look for something more steady if things keep on this way."

"I'd think they'd be happy to have you at the Ministry, you know," Harry offered.

Charlie grimaced a bit and said,

"I dunno, Harry. It was one thing getting Mysteries untangled but I still don't think I'm right for that place over the long run."

Harry nodded. He wasn't sure why it mattered. The man didn't have a family to provide for but he did think it was something of a waste for someone with Charlie's talent and intelligence to be knocking about the way he often did. But he also knew it wasn't really his place to try and solve this particular issue.

After settling the bill and saying good bye to Hannah, Harry made his way back to the Alley while Ron and Charlie headed to their respective homes. He had intended to stop at the book shop to check on the title list that they were supposed to have sent him by now. As he was approaching the shop he heard his name being called out in a feminine voice.

"Harry? Harry Potter?"

Harry turned and saw a young woman of moderate height with long reddish blonde hair pulled back in a long plait that ran down her back waving at him from further down the alley. Harry had to stop and stare a bit but then it hit him who she was and without any conscious thought he was hurrying towards her. They came together just in front of the book shop and caught each other up in an enthusiastic hug. After a moment they pulled back but held on to each others hands.

"Susan. Susan Bones, my god, I haven't seen you since, well, the battle. How have you been? What happened to you?"

The look he saw was a mixture of joy at their meeting and a haunted sadness. She smiled a bit and said,

"After everything that happened, everyone that was lost, I just couldn't stand it anymore. So I left Hogwarts the very next day and went into seclusion I'd guess you'd say. I stayed at home for over a year. Then I just sort of drifted around for a while. Doing various jobs, living here and there. I did try to keep up with what some of you were doing, those that I could. You were the easiest, showing up in the Prophet from time to time. Oh, congratulations, by the way. With Ginny and the boys I mean. I saw the announcements. A few years ago I guess I got tired of being a vagabond of sorts so I went back home and started training to be a nurse. With all the death we've experienced, I decided I'd try and keep people alive."

"Wow, that's brilliant, Susan. Where are you now?" Harry asked.

"At St. Mungo's. Right now I'm assigned to the emergency room, usually nights and weekends. Comes with being one of the new ones," she said with a smile.

"I've spent some time there myself," Harry said with a smirk.

"I know. I saw some of those articles. It's amazing your still in one piece, Harry. You know, everyone in the DA thought there was something special about you, but we didn't know the half of it. I can't tell you how happy I am that things have turned out so well for you."

Harry smiled a bit and then said quietly,

"Susan, what I'm going to tell you, I've told to every member of the DA I've been able to. If you ever need anything, at anytime, you only need to ask. I will always be there for you."

Susan smiled back at him and said,

"It's wonderful of you to say that, Harry. And it doesn't surprise me a bit that you did. It's so good to see you again, but I've got to get going. My shift starts soon."

"Alright, Susan. I can't tell you how glad I am to see you and know that your doing well. I'll expect you at my birthday party the end of the month. There's usually quite a few of the DA members there and they'll all want to see you."

"Alright, Harry. I'll be sure to be there."

With a parting hug, Harry watched as the young woman walk towards the Cauldron. His own smile faded as he thought about how so many people were still suffering from the effects of the Dark Years. He decided to skip the stop at the book shop and head for home instead. Ginny would want to know about Susan and he needed the company of family.


	59. Chapter 59

Professor Potter, Chapter 59

"First of all," Professor McGonagall began, "I would like to thank Professor Potter for opening his home to us for this meeting."

"No need to thank me," Harry replied with a smile. "I'm being entirely selfish. This way I don't have to take the trip up to Hogwarts or into the city to go to the Ministry."

The Headmistress regarded Harry over the tops of her glasses while the others ranged around the dining room table at Meadow Crest chuckled.

"Well, be that as it may," she went on, "I wish to also thank you all for being here. As you know the topic of discussion is the proposal to create through a partnership between Hogwarts and the Ministry, a research organization similar to the Potter Institute for Medicinal Herbology, but with a broader mandate. The proposal was the result of a chance encounter I had last autumn when I ran into an old friend that works at the Ministry. When I told her about the projects that our sixth years were working on she became quite intrigued and after reviewing the results the topic of today's discussion was suggested.

"Our purpose today is to discuss the possibilities, arrive at some conclusion as to the benefits of such an endeavour and come to an understanding of what some of the difficulties might be. I'd like to open the floor for discussion. Anyone?"

Harry had already decided that he wanted to do as much observing and as little talking as possible. On the one hand he was truly interested in what other people had in mind and on the other he didn't want to give the impression that he wanted to be an integral part of the process. He was still wary of the headaches that had plagued him the year before and the last thing he really thought he needed was another major project to undertake.

Harry had noticed when everyone had first taken their seats that the split was roughly half and half between Hogwarts and the Ministry. A middle aged wizard that he had recognized from the building, but didn't know, was first to reply to the Head's invitation to speak.

"What manner of research are we talking about here? The subject matter I mean. Assuming that medicinal herbology is already being tended to, what other areas would we want to investigate?"

This set off a discussion that lasted for nearly an hour. All manner of topics were proposed, from potion making and magical creature husbandry to the fundamental nature of magic itself. This last one got Harry's attention with thoughts about the cavern. Another wizard, younger and unfamiliar to Harry, spoke up.

"You know, we ran into this issue when we were reorganizing the Mysteries Department. The Minister was adamant that we move it away from all the truly bizarre things that they were doing down there and start focusing on areas that the community needed. I have the feeling that former Chief Potter's efforts in reorganizing the law enforcement section had an influence there. With that in mind I think it might be wise for us to first look at what is it that needs to be done to improve the lives of our fellow witches and wizards."

This sent the discussion off in another direction for a half hour or so. Harry still hadn't uttered a word. Then Professor Flitwick said,

"Well, I for one would like to hear what Professor Potter's thoughts are on this. After all, it was his idea originally to start the projects that have prompted our being here today."

"I'd like to hear from the Professor myself," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry looked back at her with a crooked smile and then said,

"I think it would be a mistake for us to presuppose what it is the community in general thinks it needs. I believe we need to let them tell us. When I started the projects I gave my students very few guide lines. They told me what it was they wanted to investigate. I would suggest we simply establish a loose structure that would solicit ideas from the general magical public, evaluate them and provide support to those that hold the most promise to produce real, beneficial results."

"Oh, come now, Professor," replied the Ministry wizard who had been the first to speak. "How would you control such an organization? It requires firm structure, established procedures, detailed oversight and rigorous management."

Harry leaned forward and looked down the table at the man. His expression was mild but anyone at the table who knew him had some idea of what was about to come.

"Really? And just how many research projects have you seen to fruition, sir?" Harry asked.

"Well, none. I was directed to attend this meeting to provide organizational expertise."

"I see. It may be true that an institution like the Ministry requires all those things you just described. And I imagine the school does, too. But I can tell you from experience, and that includes the projects my students have completed and the work of the herbology institute has done, that all of that stuff about control and oversight and management is exactly what this effort does not need. Researchers require inspiration, encouragement and resources. They don't need to be fettered with paperwork, rules and regulations, and bureaucrats."

Before the other man could respond, Professor Vector spoke up with a question.

"Harry, if I may, would you think that the problems that were encountered by the Mysteries Department prior to your intervention may have arisen from a lack of oversight?"

Harry could see a small smile appear on the face of the Ministry wizard.

"No, I don't think so, Professor. I think what occurred in the old Mysteries was the result of corruption within the very management structure that was supposed to control it. Corrupt officials, a corrupt environment and a corrupted sense of purpose. All the management in the world isn't worth a dud knut if the underlying principles have no value. Establish the values up front, maintain them and the rest will take care of itself. That's what I think, anyway."

"So what would you suggest, Harry?" Professor Vector asked.

"If it was up to me, and I sincerely hope it won't be, I would establish a small joint advisory board that would solicit and review proposals. Once a proposal is approved one member each of the Hogwarts faculty and the Ministry's appropriate department would be assigned as an advisor, or mentor, or whatever you call it."

"And how would you control the funds, Professor?" the Ministry wizard inquired. "I trust you're not suggesting they be given a blank cheque."

"I suppose we could set it up like we did for the herbology work. A sum of money placed at Gringotts to be drawn on up to a certain limit. Anything more requires the trustees to approve. It could be modified so that the researcher would have to demonstrate at intervals along the way that work is progressing satisfactorily before the next increment of funds would be made available," Harry concluded.

The Ministry wizard didn't look too convinced but there were quite a few nods from the others around the room. A few other ideas were mentioned, questions about possible facility issues, who would have rights to whatever results that might be realized. As the morning wound down, Nibs and Kreacher floated in several trays that had tea, and an assortment of small sandwiches. While not a full lunch it could still be said that guests at Meadow Crest were not allowed to go hungry. While the rest were serving themselves Professor McGonagall motioned Harry aside and asked,

"Harry, I head what you said before, or at least thought I did. Do you have some reservations about being involved with this effort?"

"In a word, yes, ma'am. I think I have simply too much to deal with right now to be involved with something like this to any great extent. I'm more than happy to have someone borrow my idea about the projects and run with it," Harry said.

The Headmistress nodded while keeping her eyes fixed on Harry. Then she smiled a bit.

"All in all, a wise decision, I think, Harry."

When it appeared that everyone had helped themselves to refreshments, Professor McGonagall called everyone back to the table. The discussion picked up with the topic of various organizational strategies with the looser concept that Harry proposed popular with the Hogwarts faculty and several of the Ministry representatives and the stricter bureaucracy model favored by the Ministry management types. Harry had once more lapsed into silence. Regardless of which proposal went forward he had a feeling he would be engaged in a private discussion on the matter with the Minister of Magic in the not too distant future.

"Well, everyone," Professor McGonagall cut in, "I think we've made some progress here but it's getting late and we've imposed on the Potter family long enough. I would like to suggest that we select, say, three members from each organization to work the details on several different options and present that to the full committee in a month's time? Agreed? Yes, good. So, who shall it be?"

In the end it was Professors Sprout, Vector and Flitwick from the school, the young wizard from Mysteries, an older witch from Magical Creatures and another wizard who reported to the Deputy Minister and handled Ministry financial issues. If Harry's absence from this select group raised any questions, they weren't asked. As everyone was preparing to leave, Harry said to the Head,

"Thank you, ma'am."

"No, thank you, Professor. As you said, we'll take your idea and run with it. You stay with your sixth years and if I don't miss my guess they will provide more than a few good ideas for our greater effort."

"I think you're right," Harry replied.

Later that evening at dinner, Ginny asked Harry how things had gone.

"Pretty well, I think. I managed to keep from getting too heavily involved and hopefully they won't try to regiment it too much. A smaller group is going to come up with some detailed options to propose and then we'll make a recommendation to the Minister," Harry replied.

"At which time he'll call you in and ask for your personal views, right, Harry?" Abagail asked with a grin.

"That thought had crossed my mind, little one," Harry replied.

Harry was glad to have this meeting and his session with the Centaurs behind him at this point. He wanted to concentrate on his upcoming birthday. Inspired by the chance meeting with Susan Bones, Harry had done what he could in the short time available to reach out and invite all the surviving members of the DA to attend. In several cases addresses were iffy but Ron promised he and the other former members within the department would do what they could to track them down. The family of course would be in attendance. Since the party was due to start officially at one o'clock in the afternoon, they figured their businesses would be secure for the relatively short time they would be away.

One present Harry already knew about was the Morris Traveler. Arthur Weasley had finally pronounced it fit for the road and he would personally deliver it that morning. Harry was arranging for a temporary carport, a tent like structure, to be erected. His first plan to have something simple put up in the car park in the woods had been dismissed by Ginny and Abagail and the two were in consultation with the Salisbury Plains Construction people to have something more fitting built. Harry felt it was a wonderful thing to have such caring and talented people around him but it did have its issues.

That Saturday morning, although not exactly his birthday, was a very exciting time for Harry. Miraculously all the members but two had received invitations. Marietta Edgecombe had been excluded for obvious reasons and Zacharias Smith had refused his. Harry had also received two messages of regret. One from Seamus Finnegan who was currently in Australia but was due back before the end of summer and he promised a visit. Lavender Brown also sent regrets indicating that the injuries that she had suffered during the final battle had caused lasting problems that she did not want exposed in public. Both had requested that Harry express their affection and respect for the others and wishes for healthy and happy futures.

When he had read Lavender's message the day before it bothered Harry. He knew that the girl had been gravely injured during the battle but his own issues kept him from learning the types and severity. He was determined to see if he could be of some assistance. But overall Harry was quite pleased that so many of his friends would be together again.

The day looked promising, if a bit warm, likely to get hot by afternoon. The yard had been set up with pavilions and tables and chairs and the kitchen hummed with activity. Nibs and Kreacher were being assisted by Abagail and Mrs. Weasley as well as two house elves Harry had never seen before. Apparently, Kreacher borrowed a pair from Hogwarts since it was so slow there in the summer. Lacking anything else of substance to do, he pulled out all the Quidditch gear and gave it a thorough going over.

Around noon a familiar figure walked out of the trees from the car park. Arthur Weasley stood on the path and waved for Harry to join him. With a grin fit to split his face, Harry hurried down the path. Arthur was smiling rather broadly himself.

"I have to say, Harry, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. It looked fantastic sitting in the sun outside the garage earlier. Come take a look."

Father and son walked side by side back into the trees and when Harry saw the car for the first time outside of the confines of the Burrow shop he let out a little whoop and ran the last few yards. He couldn't have been more pleased with the results. From the outside it looked like a perfectly restored car, with shiny deep green paint and flawless maple wood siding and trim. Arthur had let Abagail do the painting and it seemed she was every bit as talented with a spray gun as she was a brush. But the brush did get some use as well. On the driver's side door, just below the window was a family crest of sorts. On a red shield was the capital letter 'P' in an ornate font with a beautifully rendered dragon in green intertwined with the letter. Harry wasn't sure what the Potter family crest really was but as far as he was concerned this was it.

"It's amazing, Dad, just amazing."

"Check out the inside."

Harry opened the door and looked at the interior of the little car that was anything but little. He could easily fit three across on the custom bench seat and more in the back. He moved around to the back and opened the hatch. He'd have no problem getting Snuffles back there. He looked over at his dad.

"You are really getting good with that spell, Dad."

"It helps to have done it a few times, Harry, and to have expert advice," Arthur replied.

Harry shook his head and laughed as he closed up the back and moved around to the bonnet. Underneath was a pristine looking four cylinder engine with the tell tale sign of turbo supercharging. Harry looked up and said,

"That wasn't there the last time I looked."

"I know, Harry. I thought with all the weight the car might have to be hauling around, you'd need the extra power."

Arthur laughed at the gleam in Harry's eye. They were still going over the car when a familiar sedan rolled up the gravel drive. The Granger's, with Ron, Hermione and Rose, rolled up and parked. As Hermione and Mrs. Granger saw to retrieving Rose from her child seat, Mr. Granger and Ron converged on the Traveler.

"It looks brilliant, Harry," Mr. Granger said. "Ron's mentioned it a few times, of course. I can't remember the last time I saw one of these in such good shape. You fellows did a fine job."

"It wasn't just us," Arthur said, "we had a lot of assistance from Abagail and Angus. She did the paint."

"Really? This looks very professional. You'll be giving rides later, Harry?" Mr. Granger said with a smile.

"Oh, I suppose we might be able to arrange something," Harry said with a grin.

By now Hermione and Mrs. Granger walked over with Rose firmly held in her mother's arms. Harry exchanged kisses with the two women and while Rose accepted one as well she made no attempt to return one or to get or give Harry a hug, as usual. After taking a quick look at the car, they all trooped along the pathway toward the house.

This began the early arrival of a number of family members, as usual, and Harry was kept busy with greetings and accepting the occasional unsanctioned present. As the number of the people in the house increased, James and Snuffles sought the relative calm of the front garden where Harry sat talking with his father, Ron and Charlie. As they chatted Harry accepted the ball from whichever one carried it over, usually Snuffles. He noticed that this particular ball looked like it needed to be retired. He also noticed that James was already showing the signs of a few run-ins with the lawn. He figured he would be in for a few 'looks' from Ginny and her mother but considering how much fun the boy was having he was willing to endure it.

"So, Harry, how is your summer going, so far?" Arthur asked.

"Pretty good, Dad. Only a few demands on my time other than the family so it's been pretty relaxing. We had our first meeting about the research effort, but I managed to avoid any heavy responsibilities there."

"Well done you, son. How is it shaping up?"

"A bit tentative at the moment. There's some difference of opinion in how tightly controlled it should be. I suggested something looser, more about support and inspiration as opposed to paperwork and bureaucrats."

"Here, here, Harry. You manage that and you'll have endeared yourself to generations of researchers. Some of those folks at the Ministry were convinced that it was all about them and their reports and not about the actual work being done in the field," Charlie said.

"I think I met one of those. So far I think the majority favors the looser arrangement but we'll see."

"When are you heading back to the cavern, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Next Saturday, if you'd like to come along."

"I think I can manage that," Ron said with a grin.

"Charlie?"

"Oh, you bet. I want to look more at those scratches. And I think we need to make a sketch or something of that dragon face," Charlie replied.

"I'll talk to Abagail, she might have some ideas."

By now, one o'clock had come and gone and more guests, both family and friends, had begun to arrive. When Bill and his family arrived Harry received enough attention to more than compensate for Rose's aloofness. Victoire raced across the grass and climbed up onto Harry's lap and proceeded to squeeze him as hard as she could. Harry had to admit that she was definitely getting stronger. As the rest of the family approached Harry stood up, niece still hanging from his neck and now giggling.

"Hello there, glad you could make it," he said.

"'arry, as eef we would meess your birthday," Fleur said reproachfully.

"I wouldn't think so, but it shouldn't be taken for granted, should it?" he replied as he knelt down to get closer to Dominique's level as she walked alongside her mother.

The younger sister walked up to Harry and poked her sister's shoulder.

"M' turn, Vee."

Harry didn't wait as he reached out and swept up the other girl and proceeded to do some squeezing of his own, which solicited a number of squeals and giggles. When he was done he released his nieces who then turned their attention on their grandfather and uncle. Harry was able to stand and pay proper attention to his sister in law.

"Ah, that ees better, 'arry. You are feeleeng good today, yes?"

"Yes, I am, Fleur. It's always a good day with all my family and a lot of friends around. Some I haven't seen in years," he said with a smile.

"Yes, Geeny mentioned that the other day. I am lookeeng forward to meeteeng them."

"Of course," Harry grinned back.

Guests continued to arrive for the next hour or so. While family members tended to head into the house to see Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, the former DA members gathered in a knot close to where Harry was sitting, exchanging greetings and for those that hadn't been seen in some time, news about their lives. George and Angelina were quick to come back out once they had paid their respects and Ginny was soon to follow. When Harry saw that they were all assembled he said,

"Hey everyone, I just wanted you to know that Seamus sends his regrets but he's in Australia on an extended business trip but hopes to be in town by the end of the summer and would like to get together. I thought maybe a dinner at the Cauldron."

"Sounds good, Harry," Hannah said. "Let us know when and we'll set it up."

Harry was gratified that Neville and Hannah made the effort to leave the restaurant on its busiest day to be here with him and the rest of their friends.

"I also heard from Lavender. She apparently isn't too comfortable being out in public. I'm hoping to pay her a visit soon," Harry said.

"Um, Harry," Susan Bones began. "I ran into her about a year ago. I was doing some clinical work as part of my training and she came into St. Mungo's. Between the fall and then what that werewolf did to her, she has a lot of trouble walking and a lot of scars. She may not want to see you."

"Perhaps not, but I feel I should try. But thanks for the information."

"Whatever happened to that monster?" Neville asked.

"Executed, about a year or so after the battle. One of my first assignments as an Auror was to escort him from Azkaban for trial," Harry said.

There were a number of nods of satisfaction.

"But let's not dwell on that. Let's enjoy the day and get reacquainted. I can't tell you how happy I am that you all were able to be here," Harry said. "I know I've said this before to some of you but now I'll say it to all. The DA was and still is something I will always be extremely proud of. Most people won't know about the contributions you all made there at the end but we will. And again, if I can be of any assistance to any of you, you just need to ask."

And with a smile he reached into his pocket and pulled out the galleon that Hermione had enchanted all those years ago. Not surprisingly, so did everyone else. He smiled a bit more and then said quietly,

"Well done us, then."

This got a number of 'hear, hear's from the others and a number of conversations began. Harry noticed Cho Chang looking at him and when he made eye contact she smiled a bit and walked over. She smiled a bit more and said,

"I was really surprised and happy when I got that invitation, Harry. Being married to a muggle makes it hard to stay in touch with old friends."

"Does your husband know that you're a witch?" Harry asked

"Oh, yes. We had that discussion when it become obvious we were getting really serious. It took some convincing but after the initial shock he seemed to come to grips with it," she said with a little grin.

"Really. That was very understanding of him," Ginny replied from Harry's side.

"Well, the fact that I told him I wouldn't let him down until he got a hold of himself seemed to help. You see I convinced him by pulling out my wand and levitating him to the ceiling," she finished with an embarrassed laugh.

Harry's eyes bugged out a bit and Ginny chuckled.

"The direct approach. I like it," she said.

"And you've certainly done well for yourself, Harry. This is a magnificent home you have here," Cho said.

"I have Ginny and Abagail to thank for that," he said.

"Well, all things considered, I can't think of anyone who deserves it more," Cho said seriously.

The conversation amongst the DA ebbed and flowed and Harry finally found himself talking to Susan, just the two of them. She still had that sad look in her eyes. But she did smile a bit as they talked.

"Your house is gorgeous, Harry. Is it true that you guys designed it yourself?"

"Mostly it was Ginny and Abagail. I kept pushing for something smaller, but it turned out they had the right of it. It's been a wonderful place to start raising a family," he replied.

"I can imagine. Harry, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Has it been difficult for you? Dealing with all the, well, all the..." she faltered.

Harry nodded,

"Yes, it has, especially in the beginning. I had a lot of issues to work through. Fear, anger, learning how to be part of a family. Plus I've been discovering things about myself that have had their ups and downs as well."

Susan was looking at him with an odd expression and she said,

"Fear, Harry? You? Most of us were convinced you weren't afraid of anything."

"Oh, no. I have things I'm afraid of just like anyone else," Harry said with a smile. "But I had the help of some very committed people, basically the entire Weasley family, to help me deal with it. In fact, here comes one of my principle caregivers," he said with a smile.

Fleur walked towards the group of friends, with a smile meant to charm, not dazzle into insensibility.

"Hey, everybody. I know most of you know Fleur but for those of you who don't, she was the champion from Beuaxbaton during the Tournament. She's married to Bill Weasley, but I call her my big sister."

"Good afternoon, everyone. Eet ees so wonderful that you are all 'ere for 'arry's birthday. 'e 'as told me much about you over thee years, yes? Eet ees an 'onor for me to say that we fought together on that great and trageec day."

As she said this she hooked Harry's arm with hers.

"'arry, eef eet would not be any trouble, would you eentroduce me to those of the DA that I 'ave not met before?"

"Of course, Fleur," and he did.

Those of the DA that had not had the chance to meet Fleur before were a bit overwhelmed by her beauty and now dazzling smile, and a bit confused since they remembered her as the rather stuck up seventeen year old. Those that had come to know her better couldn't help but smile a bit at the reaction. She exchanged pleasantries and wished them all a pleasant afternoon, and promising to talk more with them. She gave Harry a kiss on the cheek as she left the group to visit with some of the family.

"Wow," he heard one of the guys say, "she sure has changed."

"Yes, she has. Motherhood will do that to some people. She started with me," he said with a bit of a laugh.

"Was she one of the ones you were referring to, Harry?" Susan said quietly.

"Oh, yes. It's hard to say who has had more impact on my continuing recovery but I hate to think of what might have happened had she not been there right from the start," he replied just as quietly.

Harry gave himself a little mental shake and said,

"Well, everyone what do you say we get this party going. There's plenty of food and drinks, Quidditch equipment, a very entertaining wizards chess set and for anyone who's interested, a tour of the house."

As the group began to break up and move towards different parts of the garden Susan said,

"I hope I haven't put a damper on your day, Harry."

"Not at all. I'm thrilled you're here and I want you to have a good time. But maybe we could have a bit of a chat later on. I think it would be good for both of us."

Susan nodded and as Ginny walked up said,

"Harry mentioned something about a tour? Would you mind?"

"Of course not. Come right this way."

As the two women walked away Abagail came up alongside Harry and said,

"She's very troubled, isn't she, Harry."

"Yes, she is. I'm hoping reconnecting with some old friends might help her."

Abagail didn't say anything in reply, but took hold of Harry's hand in two of hers and gave a squeeze.

"It's really bothering you, isn't it, Harry?" she asked.

"Yes, it is. After I spoke with her the other day I started thinking about what would have happened to me if I hadn't found a family. She lost most of hers to Voldemort other the years," he said quietly.

"I think I can understand how you feel about that, Harry," she said, looking up at him with a sad little smile.

As host and guest of honor Harry began to make the rounds, visiting with various members of the family and friends and this kept him occupied well into the afternoon. As some point a number of brooms were taken in hand and a pickup game of Quidditch was begun. Someone had the bright idea to borrow two tablecloths and hang them from trees on opposite sides of the meadow. Hit the cloth, score a goal. A number of guests gathered at the edge of the lawn and cheered them on.

"How come you're not up there, Harry?" a soft voice said from his side.

"Oh, you know me, love," Harry said, looking over at Ginny. "I can do this anytime. Besides, if you could have seen the look on Bill's face when I handed him the Firebolt."

Ginny hooked her arm in Harry's and leaned into him.

"And why aren't you up there?" he countered.

"Hey, someone has to keep this thing going," she said with a laugh.

Evening was coming on when the house elves had finished bringing out the food for dinner. It was a buffet but on a level to challenge the best that the Hogwarts staff could offer. When it was clear that everyone had eaten all they could, the birthday cake was floated out. Now this cake had been the subject of a great deal of discussion. Harry was pushing for something basic, 'just make it big enough for everyone to have some' was his only requirement. The women involved were insisting on something more artistic, something 'fitting the occasion' as they put it. Outvoted four to one he simply shook his head and left the discussion.

What emerged was an amazing creation with just a nod towards Harry's request. It was basic in that the shape was multi-layered, each layer being a plain round shape. Beyond that, all bets were off. Each layer had icing in a different shade of green. The flat upper surface of each layer had a different theme from Harry's life. The lower level had a number of Quidditch flyers drawn out in icing. The next layer had the faces of a number of friends, the next family and at the top was an extremely well done rendering of the house at Meadow Crest.

Harry could only smile and laugh a little as he was presented the cutting knife. He looked at the cake clearly dismayed and said,

"Where am I supposed to make the first cut? I'll have nightmares about cutting someone up."

This got some laughs but he went ahead and began the process and it wasn't long before the great majority of the cake had been served out. As the night sky darkened George hauled out a box and began handing out various low intensity fireworks and noisemakers to the kids, young and old. As Harry sat and watched he sensed someone approaching the empty chair to his side.

"Hi, Susan. Are you having a good time?" he said as he looked around.

"Yes, I really am, Harry. It's been wonderful seeing so many old friends. Thank you so much for inviting me."

"It's been my pleasure," he replied.

She settled into the chair and looked out over the lawn full of sparkling wands and multi-colored smoke clouds. Then she looked over at Harry and said,

"You really have found happiness, haven't you? After all that happened."

"Yes, I have. Quite a bit in fact. Obviously there have been some rough times and once in a while a memory will pop up and it can get a bit melancholy, but it doesn't last long. I have too many people that keep an eye on me and if they see me going that way they make sure I don't go too far with it."

"That's the key then, is it? Family," she said quietly.

"For me it has been. But then again I think I've taken the idea a bit far. I kind of see my family to include an awful lot of people. Most of the magical word, for starters," he said with a smile.

Susan looked down into her lap for a moment and then looked back at Harry.

"You know when we first got to Hogwarts and everyone was making a big fuss about the 'boy who lived' there was a lot of talk about you. You know, why is he such a big deal, it's not like he actually fought Voldemort. But over time most of us figured it out, some sooner than others, but by the time the DA was started it was pretty obvious. You know, I always carry that galleon that Hermione enchanted for each of us. There were a few times when it was the last one I had, but I never even thought to spend it."

"Why didn't you come to us, Susan? Any of us would have been happy to help you," Harry asked.

"I know you would have, you in particular. But it's funny how you can get lost inside your own head at times like those. I was so used to being on my own it never really occurred to me. But I'm really happy to have found you all again. You know, I've been at St. Mungo's for almost a year now and I never really thought to try and find any of you. I hadn't been to the Alley in months and then when I saw you there I didn't even think about it, I just called out your name."

"Didn't you know that Angelina ran the ice cream store or Hannah and Neville had the Cauldron?"

"Oh, I knew, in a way. The few times I went through the Cauldron, I doubt that Hannah even noticed me, she was so busy and I guess I went out of my way to avoid being noticed. I guess you just build a shell around yourself after a while. But I think it's time for that to end," she said as she reached over and gripped Harry's forearm. "Even Anthony has asked me if I'd have dinner with him next week. I think I'll say yes."

"That's wonderful news. And you know where to find us and you can always leave messages with Hannah or Angelina. And I'm sure Madame Pomfrey will be happy to hear about your career choice."

"It might be nice to go up for a visit, but I'm not sure what kind of memories it will stir up. How do you deal with that, Harry?"

"Practice, I guess. And making sure that there are enough good memories to balance out the bad ones," he replied.

Susan nodded once and then said,

"Well, I guess it's time I started on the good ones then. This day will be a good start."


	60. Chapter 60

Professor Potter, Chapter 60

The morning after Harry's birthday party, he was sitting in the kitchen finishing breakfast with Ginny, the boys and Abagail. As a testament to the amount of food that had been available, and consumed, the day before, Harry only ate two servings and the second was mostly fruit. It seems Momma Weasley had been able to instill at least one healthy eating habit. As was usual when he was eating he wasn't talking much but Ginny noticed he seemed more thoughtful.

"That was wonderful party, wasn't it, sweetheart?" she asked.

"Yes, it was and thank you for all you did to make it so, you and Abagail. It was great having everyone around. I hope Justin Finch-Fletchley doesn't lose to much time from his job. That was a nasty crack up," Harry said.

"Well, I don't recall him ever being much of a flyer. You have to give him credit for being so willing but he did get in over his head there," Ginny said.

Harry could only nod and grimace a bit at the memory of watching Justin charging on one of the makeshift goals, coming in too fast and despite his best efforts to turn away he crashed into the trees and wound up in a heap at the base of a large oak. Fortunately he sustained only bruises and cuts and Susan Bones made use of the extensive supplies in the Potter house to patch him up. When she commented on the extent of their medicine cabinet Ginny indicated having Harry, two boys, and a rather accident prone godson around the place the supplies were turned over rather regularly. When Harry objected to his being mentioned Ginny simply reminded him of coming home from the Burrow with three badly skinned knuckles and a burn mark on his forearm after a session of working on the car to quiet him down.

"And I have to say, Harry, it was a great idea having all the DA here. I hope we can keep that going."

"Me, too. Hopefully the dinner at the Cauldron once Seamus is in town will go a long way to doing that," Harry said.

"You know, sweetheart, I've noticed something about you," Ginny said thoughtfully.

"Oh, really, what's that? Do I have scales showing or something?"

"No, silly boy. I was going to say that in the last few years you've done a great deal more helping than being helped."

"What do you mean?" he asked, a bit perplexed.

"Well, lets face it, Harry. From the day of the last battle on, a lot of people spent a lot of time helping you get back on your feet, first physically and then emotionally. Even when you were doing all kinds of amazing things with the Ministry and the like you were still, well, so fragile. But now, it's much more likely that you're the one lending strength to someone else. I saw the way you were talking to Susan last night. She was in a much better mood when she left than when she first got here."

Harry smiled a bit and said,

"Well, I would hope that as I've gotten older I've grown up some. I guess that's part of it."

"Perhaps, but I want you to be careful though. Don't take on too much and don't forget you've got us all here to help you. Alright?" she said.

"Of course, how could I possibly think of going it alone," he replied.

They both turned at the sound of Abagail chuckling and saw her shaking her head. Ginny looked back at Harry and said,

"What about Lavender? I saw the look on your face when you read her note."

"I thought I'd pay her a visit and see if we can come up with a way to help her. I have the address so I figured on going later in the week."

Which is just what he did. On Wednesday, he made his way to Throxenby, a small hamlet on the southeastern edge of the Yorkshire moors. He had done a little checking and found that the address that had been used to deliver the invitation was on the outskirts of the hamlet, a secluded stone house. As Harry walked towards the house he noticed a sign out front that read 'Madame Levandre, Horoscopes Cast, Futures Told'. He had to smile at how she juggled her name around.

He walked up the path and used the brass knocker on the door and waited. After a moment he heard a dull thumping coming from inside the house and when the door swung open he was shocked at what he saw. Madame Levandre was an old crone that looked like every witch ever portrayed in muggle stories. He was getting ready to apologize for intruding when he heard a familiar voice say,

"Harry! Oh my goodness, what are you doing here?"

"Lavender? Is that you?" Harry asked in amazement.

"Yes, it is. Come in here."

She took hold of his arm and pulled him inside. The thumping noise was from the cane she was using to walk with. As she walked she limped heavily and her posture seemed to lean to the left slightly. Harry closed the door behind them and followed her into the house. She led him into a small parlor that contained all the trappings Harry recognized from Professor Trelawney's classroom.

"Sit yourself down and tell me what you're doing out here."

Harry sat down and as he watched Lavender slowly settle into the more ornate and cushioned chair across from him he saw the old woman's face fade away and the more familiar one of his old classmate take it's place, although older and somewhat disfigured.

"The face is the only thing I have to change. I'm afraid the rest is quite authentic. I must say you're looking rather well."

"Oh, I've managed to pick up some scars, besides the original," he said with a wry grin as he slid the left sleeve of his shirt upwards.

"Oh, my, Harry, how did that happen?"

"That run in I had with that dragon. All the way up the arm and the leg as well," he replied.

"Oh, yes. I remember seeing something about that. So, what brings you to Madame Levandre?"

"Nothing. For the Madame that is. I came to see my old friend Lavender Brown and find out what she's been up to and is there anything I can do to help her," Harry said seriously.

Lavender shook her head.

"I made a choice to be there, Harry. You don't owe me anything and you have nothing to feel guilty about," she replied.

"You're wrong on both counts, Lavender. This isn't about guilt. And I owe you everything. Just like all the other members of the DA that fought with me that day. I told the others on Saturday, as I have before, that anything I can ever do for any of them, you, I will do. You deserve it."

Lavender took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked Harry in the eye and said,

"What can you possibly do for me, Harry? Look at me. I make a fair living out of the muggles who come looking for a glimpse of the world they think is out there. All the healers at St. Mungo's couldn't help with the rest, so what can you offer me?"

"First, friendship, mine and the others. The others at the party all wanted to know how you were. Secondly, I've had my own problems that St. Mungo's couldn't deal with. I had to turn to a muggle specialist. We could do the same for you."

Lavender laughed bitterly.

"That was suggested before, Harry, but even if we could find someone, I could never afford something like that. We don't exactly get coverage under National Health, you know."

"Arrangements can be made," Harry said quietly.

Lavender looked at Harry, her head tilted and her eyes tight which drew attention to the scars that ran down one side of her face.

"Why me, Harry? Why so much interest in me, and now?"

"Because you're one of us, the DA. And because it only became apparent to me recently what all you guys really mean to me and to each other. And if you're wondering, it's not just you. I've helped some of the others over the years. I just feel I should do what I can when I can."

"I don't know, Harry. I'm kind of used to how things are, but I'll think about it alright?"

"Alright," Harry replied, thinking it was something at least.

"Now that that is out of the way, tell me about how things are going with you and the others. I know you and Ginny are married now, with what, two children?"

"That's right, two boys, James and Albus."

He went on to tell her how things had gone at the Ministry and then at Hogwarts and about Ginny flying for the Harpies. When he began to talk about Ron and Hermione, Lavender smiled a bit.

"What a fiasco that was. It should have been so obvious but it's often so difficult to see what is right in front of our faces. You have no idea the number of people that come to me looking for answers that are right there for all to see. And what about you, Harry? Do you need some answers?"

"Oh, I need plenty of answers, Lavender, but ever since Divination class I figured that wasn't the way to find them. Are you actually able to see the future?" Harry asked.

"A glimpse here or there. I'm no Cassandra Trelawney but I'm a fair bit better than the Professor. Plus Professor Firenze taught us some things that I've been able to use."

"It might interest you to know that a young lady who is now a member of my family is a direct descendant of Cassandra. She can do some very interesting things," Harry said.

"Really? I'd like to meet her sometime."

They continued to talk for a while and at some point Lavender picked up a deck of Tarot cards and absently began to lay them out. She had just finished when Harry indicated it was time for him to be going and that he sincerely hoped Lavender would consider his offer of assistance. She left the cards on the table and escorted Harry out, hobbling along on her cane. They exchanged a brief embrace and then she watched him walk down the lane. When she returned to the table to began preparations for her first appointment of the day she looked down at the cards she had laid out. She stared at them for a few long moments and then her head whipped around to look out the window of the small room, her eyes wide in astonishment.

That evening at dinner Ginny asked Harry how his meeting with Lavender had turned out. When he had gotten home earlier that afternoon he seemed a bit withdrawn and had gone into his little used office to write out some messages which he sent off with the house owls. Now he looked at her across the kitchen table and said,

"What is it the muggles say, it was a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand it was great to have seen her and know that she was making a fairly decent living for herself. The house looked like it was in good repair and certainly had enough room for one person. I'd guess it was about half again as big as the little house up in Hogsmeade. On the other hand, it was utterly heartbreaking to see how poorly she's doing physically. I'm not sure what the true extent of her injuries are but on the one side its either something with her leg or hip because she limps badly and needs a cane for support. Her back looked a little out of sorts as well. Plus she has scars down the left side of her face. Oddly enough she seemed in fairly good spirits but that may have just been her putting up a good front," he said.

"What is she doing for a living then, Harry?"

"She casts horoscopes, tells fortunes. She's making use of what she learned in Divination and Astronomy classes. Apparently she also uses a disguise spell because when she first opened the door she looked like an old witch from a muggle fairy tale. She let that go once we were safely behind closed doors," he replied.

"Like that elderly lady you came across last year with the protesters. Muggles will pay good money if it even looks like it might be real magic," Ginny replied. "Do you think she'll take you up on your offer?"

"I don't know, love. I certainly hope so," he said and then he turned to Abagail and said, "she certainly seemed interested in you when I told her who your ancestor was."

Abagail regarded him with her head tilted to one side.

"Could she get in trouble using magic around muggles like that, Harry?"

"Oh, I'd think not. Divination is so murky I doubt it's much more noticeable from what muggle fortune tellers do. The only legitimate magic she's really doing is the disguise spell and that's used around muggles a fair bit so I think she's safe."

"Do you think I should pay her a visit and see if I can help persuade her, Harry?" she then asked.

"Not just yet, little one. I don't want it to seem like we are trying to pressure her, but I appreciate the offer," he replied.

Harry's next activity was his trip up to the cavern. Abagail had suggested that they use the same technique that people use to transfer grave stone writing to paper. She even went out and found the appropriate materials for them to take. Since Angus had shown no interest in making a trip to the forest and the strain that her visions had put on her had lessened her own enthusiasm, she was more than happy to let Harry go up there without her until something new and significant was found. There would be an addition this time in that Eleanor had expressed an interest in what they were doing and Charlie had invited her along.

Harry managed to make them both take a swing at him when he suggested it was alright with him as long as they didn't wander off into some dark corner somewhere. He also sent word up to the Centaurs in case Morgotta was interested. He was hoping to start re-engaging the lore master in their efforts. He had also begun to receive some messages from various members of the group that had met on the research proposal asking for his opinion on various details and suggestions.

When he awoke Saturday morning, it was to the sound of high winds, heavy rain and the occasional peal of thunder. He hoped the storm didn't extend all the way up to Hogsmeade but he didn't plan on betting his last knut on it. He was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast when Kreacher went into the mud room and returned with Ron Weasley.

"Good grief, Harry, it's ridiculous out there. It's as bad as that day you lost your broom to the Whomping Willow."

"Yeah, it has that look to it. I hope you wore more than just that," Harry replied.

"Of course I did. I left it in the mud room. You know how Dinkle gets. He doesn't say much but that look he gives you is more than enough. You sure you still want to go up?"

"Of course. Hey, if we can play Quidditch for hours in this sort of stuff we can endure it for a little while getting to the cavern," Harry replied. "It shouldn't be as bad once we are in amongst the trees."

"Yeah, until the lightening hits a few."

Harry just laughed.

"Do you think El is still going to make the trip?" Ron continued.

"Don't know, but I don't see why the weather would stop her. She's played plenty of matches in this sort of stuff or worse."

"Worse?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Yeah, imagine this with snow."

Ron just shuddered at the memory.

After breakfast and getting his good-bye kisses and admonishments to be careful and try to stay dry Harry and Ron donned their heavy rain cloaks and wide brimmed hats, gear that had been adopted and issued by the Patrollers. They went out and Disapparated from the front porch to right in front of the gates at Hogwarts to cut down the amount of time they were in the open. As Harry had feared it was just as bad there in the highlands, perhaps worse. With the wind howling around them and the rain pounding on their backs, the two took as direct a path as they could across the lawns to get to Hagrid's hut.

They scrambled up on to the small porch and huddled under the eaves. Norbie could be heard snuffling and whining inside and a few dull thuds rang out that sounded like Hagrid's footsteps and then the door swung in.

"Come on in ya two. Yer the first ta arrive," Hagrid said with a laugh.

Harry and Ron stepped into the warm, and above all else, dry interior and managed to pull off their cloaks and hats and hang them on some pegs behind the now closed door. Norbie was happy to see them and got some attention in return.

"A nasty bit o' weather ta be out trekkin' in, innit?" Hagrid asked.

"Hey, we're Quidditch flyers, Hagrid," Ron said with a smile. "We've flown in worse than this. Plus I spent a lot of cold wet days and nights walking a beat in Hogsmeade and the Alleys."

"Plus we're hoping it won't be so bad once we're in under the trees," Harry added.

"Yeah, until the wind kicks up and a tree dumps a load o' rain water on yer heads," Hagrid countered.

Harry and Ron just laughed. It was about five minutes later when they heard wet footsteps approaching at a run and then pounding on the front door. Hagrid swung it in to find Charlie and Eleanor standing in the doorway, likewise in heavy cloaks and hats that were shedding water all over the doorstep.

"Come in yerselves, ya look like a pair of drowned rats," he said.

Laughing, the two shuffled in and Hagrid closed the door.

"Wow, it is insane out there. It's been a while since I've had to put up with something like that," Eleanor said.

Charlie looked at her and said,

"What? I thought a guy and his gal walking in the rain was supposed to be romantic."

"Walking hand in hand in a soft warm spring shower, yes," El responded, "but running for your life in the face of a North Sea gale, no."

Charlie just laughed. Since they were all together, Ron and Harry donned there still wet cloaks and hats and bid Hagrid good-bye. He insisted they check in with him before they returned home so he knew not to send a search party out for them. They all laughed and waved to Hagrid and then plunged into the forest. Once they had gone a few hundred feet the shielding of the trees had tempered the worst of the wind and the rain was filtered to a modest downpour as opposed to a near horizontal deluge.

The reduced noise level allowed the four to carry on a more normal conversation. Eleanor was particularly enthusiastic.

"Thanks for letting me come along, Harry. This whole business sounds so interesting from what Charlie was telling me. Plus it's good to be doing something a little different."

"Is the job getting to you?" Harry asked, thinking what she said sounded similar to Ron's comments of a few weeks ago.

"I wouldn't say getting to me, but if I'm on the continent it's almost all day every day to fit in enough sales calls and demonstrations to make it worthwhile. I still love Quidditch and the traveling but I do need the occasional break."

Harry thought he understood very well what she was saying. They were perhaps half way to the site when the figure of a Centaur appeared on the trail ahead of them. Harry hoped he knew who it was but the rain still made it difficult to tell.

"Hail and well met, Serpent King," Morgotta called to him.

"Hail and well met, Friend Morgotta. I am very pleased to see you this morning."

"As I am to be here," she replied with the usual reserve of her kind.

"Friend Morgotta, may I introduce Eleanor MacManus, the beloved of Charlie Weasley whom you know. She is a member of our clan and is privy to all my secrets. You make speak freely in her presence."

"Thank you for that information, Friend Harry Potter. I had wondered," she said and then turned towards Eleanor. "Well met, Eleanor MacManus. You must be a human of great worth to have gained the confidence of the Serpent King. Perhaps one day we may know each other as Friend."

Eleanor was more than a little taken aback by this exchange. She certainly did consider herself a member of the Weasley clan and a confidant of Harry's but to hear it put so formally and to hear the pronouncement of this imposing creature with such solemnity was at once embarrassing and yet gratifying. She gathered herself together and said,

"I look forward to that day."

Morgotta simply nodded in response and then turned and fell in alongside Harry as best the trail would allow.

"You are well, Friend Morgotta?" Harry asked.

Without looking at him she replied,

"I have much to consider, Serpent King, but there is much to learn from this enterprise and I would not have the one interfere with the other. If you mean to include my health, it is, as always, excellent."

"I am pleased to hear that, on all accounts," Harry said looking at her a bit.

When she first appeared he saw that she was wearing the short leather jacket again, whether against the weather or a nod to human propriety he wouldn't guess. He also noticed that the rain was beading up and running off from her mane, as opposed to soaking in. He wondered if that was natural or through the application of some treatment. A call from behind got his attention.

"Harry, does the forest still feel the same?" Charlie asked. "Even with all this weather?"

"The sense of the presence is still there but it does feel a little different. If feels sort of fuzzy, as if the water falling through it is disturbing it somehow," Harry replied.

"Hmm, that seems to suggest that it has a true physical quality, not just a magical one," Charlie said.

"Like an energy field of some sort, perhaps," El suggested.

"Possibly," Harry said, "and that makes a certain sense since its source might be those energy flows under the cavern."

They arrived at the turn off that led to the cavern and found that the ground was damp but not nearly as wet as the surrounding area. Charlie was looking around and said,

"Harry, do you think that we are over the area of the cavern where you've been spending your time?"

Harry stopped and so did the others. He could just make out the structure that formed the entrance to the tunnel ahead. Judging by the fact that the hole he fell through was only a few yards away from the front of the interior structure and how far that side of the structure extended he had to think they were still a number of yards from standing above the open cavern. At least that they knew of.

"Not yet, Charlie. I'd judge we still have a bit to go still."

He squatted down and felt the ground. It was damp but not as wet as it most likely should have been. It wasn't particularly warm either, he thought, so it wasn't like the water was drying out quickly. He looked up and what was coming through the trees didn't seem to be as heavy as what they had experienced on the trail. Looking back it appeared that it was still coming down significantly back there.

"Add another oddity to the list, then. It appears that not as much rain is falling around this area," he said and then looked back at Morgotta. "Have any of the Centaurs that have been doing guard duty here talked about feeling strange or unwell?"

"None that I am aware of, Serpent King, although I must admit to a certain distraction these last few weeks. I will inquire of the Healer and the Elder and send word as soon as I can. You fear something?"

"Everything about this place is strange and it seems like there is some sort of energy or something emanating from it as well. I'm concerned it might have an effect on someone who's exposed to it for too long," he said.

"Then you yourself should have a care," the Centaur replied.

"I was thinking of that myself," Eleanor said.

Harry just nodded as he stood up. They resumed their trek and near the last of the trees before the structure a male Centaur stepped out to block their path.

"Ah, Serpent King, Lore Master. We would have not thought any would journey here on such a day," the unknown Centaur said.

"I come when the time allows. I appreciate your sacrifice in weather such as this," Harry replied.

The Centaur shrugged.

"In the forest one learns quickly how to avoid the worst that the Mother has to offer," he replied in that sardonic way.

He stepped back to allow them to pass with a brief nod of the head. Morgotta returned the nod without speaking. As they approached, another Centaur stepped out from the tunnel mouth and wordlessly stood aside to allow them entrance.

"Well, El, this is where it started. Just up ahead is where I fell through and the Centaurs erected a bridge of sorts to span the gap. Having seen the rest of the cavern it sort of surprises me that the floor would have given way like that," Harry said, "but it was a lucky fall to be sure."

They walked along the passage and Eleanor was looking around in the light of their wands at the closely fitted stones. She said nothing but her face had a kind of awed look. Charlie looked over and said,

"If you think this is something, just wait until you see the rest."

They crossed the bridge one at a time, with Morgotta coming last and staying to one side as before. When they reached the dead end Harry found the spot and laid his hand over it and bringing up the dragon he thought about needing to proceed and the slab at the end of the tunnel shifted. As Harry pushed it open he turned and saw Eleanor running her hand over the stone surface.

"How was this done?" she murmured more to herself than anyone around her.

"One of the big questions, El," Harry said. "One of many."

The little group made their way down the spiral staircase and out into the main chamber, the darkness being pushed back by the combined light of four wands. Eleanor tried to see beyond the edge of the sphere of light.

"How far does it go?" she asked.

"Ron? You and the little one measured it out, what did you come up with?" Harry asked.

"Well, from the back wall of that structure to the far well at that end," he said gesturing to their right, "is just over three hundred yards. Across is around a hundred yards. The chamber you spend a lot of your time in is about one hundred and twenty yards long. The structure itself is about two hundred and fifty feet by twenty five feet and almost fifty feet high."

"That's a lot of room," Charlie said.

"I wonder what they did with all the rock they took out of here. I mean this couldn't all be natural. Something had to be excavated," Eleanor said.

"We think so, too. As to your question, I have no idea. Of course the fact that if it was done all those many millennia ago, anything put outside would have been bulldozed away by the earliest ice flows."

"True, I hadn't thought about that. They could have built a whole town up there and we'd never know about it," El replied.

"So, Charlie, you still want to look into those scratches, right?"

"Yup, I'll take Eleanor with me," he said with a straight face.

Harry looked at them with raised eyebrows and Eleanor had to stifle a laugh.

"I'll stick with you as usual, mate," Ron said. "We'll get that, what did Abagail call it, rubbing I think she said, of your portrait."

"Very funny," Harry replied.

The group separated with Morgotta going with Harry and Ron. She looked down at Harry and asked,

"Rubbings? Portrait?"

"The portrait comment refers to the etching in the upper room of the dragon face. Rubbing is a technique that can be used to transfer the engraved image to a sheet of paper. I believe you saw my students doing that with some of the stone markers," Harry said.

"Ah, yes. We had not referred to it as such at the time, hence my confusion."

By now they were walking along the right side 'alley' between the structure and the cavern wall. As they came out into the smaller but still expansive space Harry looked at Ron and said,

"So, before or after?"

"I'm thinking before, Harry. At least this way I'll have something to look at and perhaps Morgotta might be able to recognize something about it," Ron replied.

"I will try but I doubt the likelihood," she offered.

"Alright, well give me some room and we'll get started," Harry said as he walked out into the cavern and took his face down position on the floor.

Within two heart beats he was filling considerably more space but was comfortable provided he didn't try to stand or stretch out his wings much. Ron approached his tail and Harry turned to watch him climb on and then wave his wand to signal readiness. Harry raised his tail and scrambled backwards a bit in order to position his mate safely at the highest opening. Ron scrambled in through the opening and Harry dropped his tail since this would likely take a bit of time.

He turned his massive head in the direction of the sound of hooves striking smooth stone. He also noticed the light that accompanied those footfalls. As Morgotta drew closer he could see it was a muggle hand torch. He let some of his human self surface and brought his head closer and level to the now stationary Centaur.

"The torch?" he ground out.

"Ronald Weasley provided it. His sire pressed it upon him to use if maintaining the wizard's light became too tiring," she replied softly.

Harry merely nodded. Without further comment, Morgotta settled into a reclining position and held her hands clasped and hanging down in front of her, appearing almost subservient.

"Why?" came the gravelly question.

"It seemed proper."

The head swung from side to side in a negative response.

"Proper has no place with friends," he growled. "Recline or stand as you choose. Not because you think you must."

After a moment's hesitation she began her reply,

"Thank you, Serp…Friend Harry Potter. It shall be so. May one ask a question?"

"Always."

"Is there a preference, one form over the other?"

"No. Each has its benefits and issues. Each is suited to its purpose," Harry responded in a voice that reverberated in her bones.

They lapsed into silence and few minutes later a shrill whistle got their attention and they could see Ron's lit wand being waved back and forth. Harry raised his tail and waited while the lanky redhead clambered on. He brought him down and Ron got off and ran forward.

"Got it, mate, what do you think?" he said as he rolled out the sheet of paper that Abagail had given them.

Harry merely nodded. Morgotta considered it and looked back and forth from the image to the real thing and back.

"It would appear to be a fair representation, except for the eyes. They are spot on as you say. Something to consider."

Again Harry nodded and then said,

"Time to work."

He repositioned himself as the others moved back out of the way. He maneuvered his tail into the center room and brought it into contact with the pillar. Using his strength he manipulated the wayward line into conjunction with the others and felt the power surge into him. Using his trick of the last time he squeezed it down to a proper flow and then let his mind call up the flow of images, but slowly this time right from the start. As before the others were treated to the deep bell tone and the spreading lights. Eleanor was entranced. She finally told Charlie she wanted to see the other chamber and walked away. By the time she came to stand next to Ron and Morgotta the entire chamber had taken on the look of green dragon hide and the space was full of a pale green light. She could think of nothing to say.

Back inside the dragon's mind Harry was seeing some truly interesting images. It began with what looked like someone's perspective from the bottom of a deep shaft, the walls roughly cut. At the base of one side of the shaft a tunnel began to take shape, again roughly cut. He saw no people and the progress of the opening seemed to come in fits and jerky motion as if someone was taking snapshots along the way and then pasting them together.

The image then flashed for an instant and the excavation seemed to go more quickly and the walls appeared to be more smoothly cut but not as they were now. A room took shape with regular sides and the width of the original tunnel became that of the door way. In the middle of the floor a pillar appeared in an instant, presumably fashioned elsewhere and then placed there. What occurred next was startling. Spaces began to open rapidly and the walls took on the smooth surface they were now familiar with. It appeared as if regular sections of the rock were melted away, or perhaps cut and removed so quickly as to appear such with this time lapse effect. It wasn't long before the chamber was fully opened.

If he concentrated he could get the image to show beyond the structure and out into the vast rear, or perhaps main chamber. The staircase took shape in a matter of moments and then the upper shaft of the entrance tunnel, but it seemed longer and when it opened out to look over a vast grassland. There were no trees but it looked vaguely familiar from his dream but without the box canyon in between. Perhaps his dream was an interpretation or perhaps from a different interglacial period.

He began to concentrate on the next series of images. A number of brief, almost translucent figures flashed across Harry's mind. They were too brief to allow him to latch on to anything definitive. They hinted at upright bipeds but that was all. He was getting to be a little frustrated. For those watching from the outside

this frustration took the shape of a pulsing beat to the green light that suffused the cavern. Harry's limbs began to twitch and his eyelids flutter. His companions settled in to watch and wait. He continued to sift through the catalog of images and he saw that the light level slowly began to dim until it finally went dark. A true darkness that he interpreted to be a period when ice covered the area. Deciding he had had enough and having no idea how much time had passed he let go of the third leyline and felt the level of power drop precipitously.

He relaxed his awareness and let his mind drift a bit. He idly examined the remaining two leylines and tried to follow where they went. The best sense he could get was that the lines went off to some considerable and indeterminate distance. He pulled back his awareness and then began to examine the power that flowed up through the pillar. While he couldn't actually see it, he knew it had the glow he had seen in the image of the eleven beings. He began to pull back and he tried to 'see' the structure through the energy of the lines. The whole structure glowed in the same dull light. Going back even further he 'saw' that the light suffused the entire cavern. He wondered why he had never seen it before.

He finally let his eyes open and he saw the others sitting in a circle of light provided by a small muggle lantern. He snorted a bit and then thought inwardly and within two heart beats he was back to human form, lying stretched out on the cool stone floor. He pushed himself up and rolled over into sitting position. He saw the others approach and he got himself up onto his feet.

"So, how long was I at it this time?"

"I make it just over three hours, Harry," Charlie said.

Harry nodded a bit. He looked around but could see very little since the muggle lantern didn't throw much light.

"It's hard to tell when I'm like that. I see things pass but I can't tell how long it takes. I do get hungry though," he said, then looking at Charlie said, "did you find anything else?"

"A few more scratches low on the wall in a couple of places. But nothing revealing. How about you, what did you see?"

"Well, I saw this place being formed and then some fleeting images of someone or many someones but they were so brief I couldn't get a fix on them. Then it got really dark, like the place was covered over, so I'm thinking that was the first period of ice covering this area. Whoever it was that created it must have left."

"Or died out," Charlie said.

Harry shrugged and nodded.

"Well, what do you say we go see if the rain let up."

As they began to walk towards the spiral stairs Harry looked at Eleanor and asked,

"So, El, was it worth a soaking and the walk to be here?"

"I have seen some pretty amazing things since I first met you. Each and every one has been worth whatever I had to go through to see it. My only regret was not seeing you for who you truly were that time that I said all those harsh things about you. I should have known better."

"I don't see how you could have and it worked out pretty well in the end and that's all that really matters," Harry said.

Eleanor felt that someone was regarding her intently. She turned and looked into the brown eyes of the Centaur and met that piercing gaze. She nodded once and said,

"Walk with me, Morgotta, and I will tell you a story and then you can decide if you think we might still be friends."

Charlie, Harry and Ron fell back a bit and let the two females climb the stairs ahead of them so that they would have some privacy. As they walked along the tunnel to the outside, which was now mercifully calm,

they could see El talking, making the occasional gesture with her hands and at one point Morgotta's head turn quickly to look at the smaller human. At some point the conversation shifted and the Centaur began to speak and El listened. A couple of times during the conversation El turned to regard Morgotta. Then they both walked on in silence, the men regarding them as they did so.

When they reached the spot where the Centaur had joined them the pair stopped and the men did likewise so as not to intrude. A few words were exchanged and then Morgotta extended a hand and after a moment Eleanor extended her own and they clasped forearms in the manner of the Centaurs. Then with a nod the Centaur turned and strode off into the trees. El watched for a few moments and then turned towards the edge of the forest once more and walked on alone, the three brothers following along behind.


	61. Chapter 61

Professor Potter, Chapter 61

Harry sat astride his broom, hovering above the number four pitch at the public Quidditch park. The air was warm, there was a scattering of clouds in the sky and only a hint of wind, even at altitude. A week earlier Charlie had sent out a message that he had been approached by the coach of the Wimbourne Wasps to stage a match between the Weasley Potter Flyers and the Wasps' reserve squad. Since the start of the season, at the suggestion of the Ernestine Appleby, the reserves had been playing against various pickup teams as could be arranged and she thought it was time they tried their hand against Harry and company.

When the two teams had met three things jumped out at Harry. One was that the Wasps were young. The second was that they exuded confidence and the third was that they were really young. Now, it should be noted that Harry had just celebrated his twenty eighth birthday two weeks prior but with all he had been through in his life, he felt at times considerably older. And with the exception of Ginny at a year younger, he was the youngest member of their team. After meeting the Wasp reserves Charlie had called his team together and said,

"Alright, everyone, here's the story. Bee's plan to use these pick-up games to improve their reserves has worked well to a point. The problem is they are starting to get cocky and it's causing some issues with the first line flyers. Bee is hoping that we can trim their ears back a bit and show them they still have a way to go. Now most of these folks haven't been through our camp process and I think two didn't even go to Hogwarts. They know some of us by reputation but that's about it. So here's the game plan," Charlie said and he beckoned them in closer.

Now the teams were in the air and awaiting the release of the balls. Once again, Bill's old classmate was refereeing the match and most of the Weasley clan was in attendance. Angus was particularly eager to be there, bringing with him a chaise lounge and a case full of papers. The children had been given small flags with a combined W and P on them to wave.

Harry looked over at his opposite number. He thought he recognized him from Hogwarts but he was sure he was not a product of the camps. The younger seeker returned his look with a small smile and bit of a wink. So it's going to be like that, Harry thought to himself. He redirected his attention to the ground below and waited for the release.

When the snitch and bludgers were set free the snitch took off directly behind Harry, putting him at a momentary disadvantage but he didn't lose focus. Next came the Quaffle and as so often happened, Ginny was on it in a blink of an eye. Two children certainly hadn't dulled her edge. At the same moment Harry pulled the broom over in a near back somersault and was after the snitch with a broom tip lead over his opponent.

Now in no way was this intended to be a repeat of the match against the hooligans. This was not about dealing out physical chastisement. This was about teaching young professional level flyers that they still had some things to learn about the game and a string of victories over pick-up teams was not an excuse to start suggesting it was time for the older Wasps to start thinking about stepping aside. As far as Harry was concerned it was him against the pro grade snitch. It was fast, tricky and exceedingly quick. He knew the other seeker was staying with him but as long as he was behind he was a secondary consideration.

Something of note had happened in the last week that led up to this match. When it was announced that the match was on, Angus sought out Harry and asked if he could spare the time to discuss his theories about the snitch. Harry couldn't help but agree considering the eager look on the younger man's face. What followed for Harry was difficult to grasp in theory but the practical aspects became all too clear. The snitch did execute movements in a random order but that randomness was contained within a larger pattern that evolved over the length of a match. Why this wasn't recognized up to now, Angus theorized, was due to substitutions, fatigue and the constant hammering into the skulls of young flyers, generation after generation, that the snitch was unpredictable. Those seekers, the truly successful ones, did seem to pick up on patterns, however, but they regarded that as instinct, a talent and not something that could be understood and taught.

So armed with this knowledge and his own experience and 'instinct' he tucked in tight behind that pesky golden ball and had at it. Down below lessons were also being taught and learned. Ginny, El and Angelina were giving the youngsters some serious trouble. In particular, Ginny and El rolled out an old trick that they had used often while playing together for the Harpies. Angelina had been read in on the tactic during previous practices and was able to fulfill her role well.

Using Ginny's low mass and almost supernatural quickness, she would weave a pattern around El making use of the larger woman's superior ball handling ability, which was what drew the Harpies to her originally. Angelina would act as a blocker and spoiler which suited her aggressive style of play perfectly. Together they moved the Quaffle down the pitch in a series of passes and feints that often left the other chasers baffled. Bill and George were likewise making their presence known with accurate and well timed bludger strikes. When the Wasp reserves were able to make a strong scoring run they were more often than not frustrated by Ron.

Ron had developed into an annoyingly effective keeper as he began to synthesize his style of play with his innate abilities to strategize and anticipate based on his wizards chess and work for the Special Tactical Squad. He would sit and watch as the play unfolded and then place himself where he felt the scoring attack would take place. He was rarely wrong. This is not to say that Harry and company had it all their own way. Their opponents were professionals, albeit reserves. All in all, however, the lower level game was not as trying on the WP flyers as had been the Old Pros. And for Harry, he was fairly well in control.

One thing that could be said for the Wasp seeker was that he was very quick. He was shorter and lighter than Harry, closer in size to Ginny in fact but his ability to anticipate and act, instead of react, lagged behind slightly. On those occasions when the snitch decided on a high speed straight line run, Harry had the clear advantage in that he would start 'pushing' on the air behind him and nothing the younger fellow could do would allow him to keep up. But still, Harry was having trouble. This snitch seemed far faster than anything he had come up against previously.

For the folks on the ground however, this meant that they were being treated to a rare performance and a crowd was beginning to gather. Teams that had completed their matches at the other pitches were drifting over and the sound level was starting to climb. Victoire and Dominique were supplying a lot of high pitched cheering and there were a growing number of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as various opportunities for a score or steal were missed or made. It appeared that the scales were seriously tipped in favor of the WPs as far as the crowd was concerned.

As far as Harry was concerned he was having a blast. Beyond the physical thrill he always felt when flying like this, the added intellectual exercise of trying to apply Angus' theory added to the experience. As was usually the case, Harry had no idea how much time had transpired but he thought he was starting to see what Angus was talking about. As he considered what the snitch had been doing so far and where on the pitch it was doing them he thought he understood what the young genius had spotted.

Based on the combination of all these considerations Harry decided to go for broke. They were in the midst of a high speed run toward the Wasps' goal with the snitch a dozen or so feet in front when Harry pulled the broom up into a steep climb. Due to altitude and wind noise he couldn't hear the shouts of dismay and certainly not the one calm voice that said,

"Aye, Professor, aye."

About two seconds after Harry broke off pursuit and went into his climb the snitch did likewise and went nearly vertical. Harry intersected its new path and was within a foot as he bore after it. The Wasp seeker was caught flatfooted, so to speak, first by Harry's abrupt change and then the snitch. He was climbing but was hopelessly far behind now. Harry and the snitch were literally rocketing into the sky, in a near vertical climb. As Harry watched the snitch slowly losing ground he thought, any second now.

He shifted sideways just a touch and at just that instant the snitch did a quick hook as if to dive back down. But in that instant it hung motionless at the top of the turn and Harry went by, still at high speed and the snitch smacked into his open palm with enough force to send pain shooting all the way up through his shoulder. His fingers reflexively closed around the gold orb but they were numb, as was his hand and wrist from the shock of contact. He pulled his hand to his chest and let the broom bleed off speed before he kicked it over and began a shallow diving spiral.

The numbness helped mask any pain but Harry knew that was coming. He was sure he felt something crack in his palm, thick leather gloves notwithstanding. After several circuits of the spiral he caught up with the Wasp seeker who fell in beside him and called over,

"Are you alright, Professor?"

"It hit my hand pretty hard and my hand's a bit numb," Harry replied.

"You wouldn't like me to hold onto it for you, would you?"

"No, that's quite all right," Harry said with a small smile.

The Wasp seeker waved and began to drop more quickly. As Harry came into visual range he held the snitch up, grimacing as the thing tried to wriggle in his grasp and the numbness began to give way to pain. The whistle blew and the match came to an end. A sizeable roar went up from the relatively large crowd that had gathered. Harry hadn't heard that much noise from a crowd since his last Hogwarts match. He wondered where they all came from.

His teammates rose up to greet him, their smiles wide until they say the look on his face. Ginny was at his side in a moment.

"Harry, what is it? You look hurt."

"I caught the snitch on the fly at high speed. It hit pretty hard. I think something may be broken," he replied.

The referee had come over by this time and as Harry gingerly handed him the golden ball he saw Harry's hand and said,

"That doesn't look good, Professor, better get to the infirmary and have that looked at."

"My thoughts exactly, Harry," Ginny said, "let's fly over there directly. Would someone let the others know what happened?"

"I'll take care of it," Bill said, his expression already anticipating facing Molly and Fleur with what he had to tell them.

Ginny and Harry began drifting over the crowd heading towards the field house and it's infirmary, hearing the calls coming up from those assembled below. Anyone who was watching from above would have seen the other WPs being surrounded as they landed and then a small group pushing their way through the crowd moments later.

Harry and Ginny came to a landing and Ginny quickly grabbed Harry's broom. He cradled his now throbbing hand as they climbed the few steps up to the door and pushed it in. There was a fair amount of noise inside as flyers and spectators crowded the concession section and a number of people called out to Harry but as they registered what they saw the noise dropped noticeably and a fair amount of nudging and pointing occurred.

As they walked into the infirmary they saw two other flyers being tended to. One looked to have been hit in the head with either a bludger or perhaps a beater's bat. The other was having a badly bent leg straightened and healed. That must have been an ugly crash, Harry thought absently. The middle aged nurse on duty at the little reception desk looked up and said,

"Oh, Professor Potter, what have we here?"

"I think I might have broken my hand with a snitch grab," Harry said matter-of-factly.

This statement caught the attention of one of the Healers who was working the broken leg, who said,

"What did they do? Use a muggle cannon to fire it at you?"

"It feels like it. We were moving pretty fast when we met," Harry replied.

"Please sit there, Professor. We'll put some cold on it and be right with you. Mrs. Potter, could you fill this out please," the nurse said, handing Ginny a clip board and a quill.

Harry took the seat he was directed to and Ginny sat in the other chair at the desk, using the inkwell provided. The nurse took a bag Harry recognized and after helping remove the leather glove, which caused Harry to grit his teeth against the pain, placed it on his hand. The bag felt cool and soothing but the pain was still there and his hand had started to swell. Harry was concerned that the injury might affect his schoolwork since it was his writing hand. The door opened again and a small crowd was visible in the hallway outside.

The nurse looked up and with a scowl said,

"I beg your pardon but no one is permitted in here besides the patient and one member of the immediate family, if present. Please wait outside."

Harry looked up and saw Molly and Fleur framed in the doorway. He smiled and said,

"No worries, I'll be fine. I'll be out in a few."

"We'll be right here waiting, Harry," Molly said.

"Oui, 'arry."

The looks that Harry got were full of love and sympathy. The parting looks the nurse got were full of something decidedly darker and rivaled the cold bag in temperature. The nurse took it in stride and looked at Harry.

"A pretty fierce pair you have there, Professor."

"My mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Two of my greatest champions," he replied with a bit of a smirk.

"I wouldn't want to meet those two on a dark and stormy night," she replied with a laugh.

Harry just shook his head. A few minutes later one of the two Healers walked over and said,

"So, what have we here? High speed snitch grab you say, Professor?"

"Yes, sir. When it hit my hand I thought I felt something crack and the shock went right up my arm and then I was numb to my wrist. The numbness is gone but it hurts a lot now," Harry replied.

"Alright, let's take a look," the Healer said.

He removed the cold bag from Harry's hand and took out his wand and began to move it back and forth over the palm. He gingerly turned the hand over, which got a grimace from Harry, and did the same again over the back of his hand. He then repeated the process over the wrist joint and lower forearm. When he was done he looked at Harry with his eyebrows raised.

"Well, I'm not sure how you managed it, Professor Potter, but you managed to fracture all four of the bones in your palm. They're called metacarpals. I can't imagine how fast you must have been going in order for the impact to be that hard. It looks more like someone put your hand flat on a desktop and hit with a beater's bat. Please come over to this table."

Harry got up and again cradling his hand followed the healer. The wizard pointed for Harry to sit in a chair and place his hand on a soft rounded pad attached to a short pedestal.

"Please rest your hand here, palm down, and let it relax. It will assume the shape we need to assure proper alignment. The two center bones have several fractures so we need to do this carefully. Now please try to relax."

The Healer took out his wand again and began to slowly pass it over Harry's hand, apparently tracing along one bone at a time. Harry could feel a tingle that got uncomfortable at times, but still it was far better than a dose of Skele-Gro potion. Harry could hear a low conversation at the front of the room and he figured Ginny had finished the paper work and was talking to the nurse. It took a while for the wizard to finish up but when he was done he said,

"Please remain here a moment if you would, Professor."

He then walked over to the other Healer who was just finishing up with the flyer with the banged up head and they came back together.

"I would just like my associate to have a look and confirm what's been done, Professor."

"No worries, Doctor," Harry replied.

The second Healer took out his wand and ran it over Harry's hand and after a few moments said,

"Looks good. The two in the center were pretty bad, but I think you'll do fine. Don't be surprised though if you feel an ache in that hand when the weather turns bad."

Harry laughed a bit.

"It'll go along with the ache I get in my knee now and again."

"Ah, yes, the knee. Dr. Antimony had talked about that. Muggle surgery I understand," the Healer said, his voice almost sounding disapproving.

"Yes, it turned out pretty well in the end, not counting the ache here and there."

The first Healer stepped in and said,

"Alright, Professor, we're going to wrap a cold bag around that hand and you keep it on there for a few hours. That will help with the swelling. Use it again for two hours morning, afternoon and evening for the next two days and I think you'll be fine. You'll be heading back to school soon so be careful with the writing. If it begins to ache, stop and put the bag on it. That may linger will into autumn but eventually it will subside."

"Thank you, sirs, I appreciate the help."

"Not at all, Professor."

Harry went back to where he was sitting originally and the nurse began to wrap the cold bag around his hand and secured it with a rolled bandage. Harry looked over at Ginny and said,

"Love, I'm almost done here. Why don't you go out and see what you can do to calm the mob down?"

"Are you sure, Harry? Well, alright. But you'll have to excuse me if I don't call them a mob," she said with a bit of a laugh.

After Ginny had left Harry looked at the nurse, who was finishing up, and said,

"That seemed like a lot of paper work for just a banged up hand."

"Oh, that, well, actually it's only the first few questions that matter. The rest is to keep them busy and out from under foot," she said with a straight face.

Harry just laughed and as she looked up at him, having finished her work, he said,

"Good thinking. Oh, by the way, if you happen to see Susan Bones please pass on my regards."

"Oh, yes, Miss Bones. A fine, dedicated young nurse. A bit quiet but excellent with patients. Very caring and soothing. I believe she'll be ready for the rotation roster for the infirmary next year."

"That's terrific. Oh, do I owe you anything for this?" he asked.

"The concessionaire's fund usually covers the infirmaries expenses but we do encourage donations for services rendered. However, since you practically own the park I wouldn't think…" she didn't finish her statement.

"I own the land," Harry said as he stood up. "The people own the park."

He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out some galleons that had been tucked away for refreshments. He placed five on the desk.

"Thanks again."

"Thank you, Professor, and I'll deliver your message the first chance I get."

Harry nodded and with a smile walked out the door. What he saw surprised him a bit. The only ones standing anywhere near the door was Molly, Ginny, and Fleur. Everyone else was sitting at tables in the concessions area, some helping the kids eat some lunch. They all looked up at him as he came through the door but no one got up or rushed at him. Apparently, someone had done some talking. It was easy to figure out whom.

Ginny came up and said,

"Are you alright, Harry? Would you like to sit down?"

"In a moment, there's some things I have to do first."

And in succession he gave one armed hugs to his wife, his mum and his big sis, all of whom responded with both arms and some vigor. Molly then looked at him and said,

"So, young fella me lad. How are you feeling?"

"A little tired, that was a lot of work out there. And the hand is a little sore and I'm kinda hungry. I could do with a bite."

"Well, that certainly is a good sign, don't you think, ladies," Molly asked Ginny and Fleur.

With that Harry was escorted to a spot at one of the tables and Ted was dispatched with a coin to bring back an order of fish and chips. Then the questions were asked. He explained the extent of the injury which led to how he caught the snitch and how that might have led to the broken bones. He figured he was going far too fast for the simple hand forward, straight armed style he usually used. All things considered he would have been better off sweeping it up from the side and letting the momentum shift swing him around and pointed down.

Next were questions about why and how he knew to make the change to a climb before the snitch had done so. He wasn't sure if Angus was ready to make his theory known so he hedged by saying it was instinct and experience. The whole time Harry could see the eyes of Victoire boring into him, her expression clearly one of dissatisfaction. With the forefinger of his left hand he beckoned her over and as she stood in front of him he said,

"It's my hand, not my head. It doesn't count toward our agreement, Vee."

Her eyes pulled down into a squint and she folded he arms across her chest and looked at him some more, trying to figure out a way around this argument. Before she could she heard Ted coming up behind her with Harry's food. She spun around and Ted pulled up cold, fixed in place by her glare. She reached out and took the small basket and cup of tea from the older boy and then turned and placed it on the table in front of her uncle.

"You need to eat, Uncle 'arry."

Then she stood there as if she intended to watch him eat every bit. Which is exactly what she did. The others let the conversations drift so Harry wasn't interrupted but as was typical with him and food he didn't seem inclined to talk anyway. When he was finished he pushed the basket back and finished off the last of his tea. He looked at his niece and winked at her. Her look softened a bit and Harry bent down and she put her arms around his neck and with his left arm he lifted her up to sit on his lap.

He had his bandaged right hand resting on the table top and Vee seemed torn as to whether or not she should touch it like she often had, from infancy on. She chose to lightly rest her one hand on his forearm and rested her head on his shoulder. The conversation went back to Harry's exploits.

"I just don't understand it, Harry. You were in a near vertical climb, the snitch was practically motionless you said and yet it hit your hand hard enough to break four bones. How could you possibly be going that fast in a climb?" George asked.

"I dunno, George. That snitch was going faster than any I have ever come across and I was just trying to catch it. I kept urging the broom and pushing behind me and…" he finished with a shrug.

"Bee Appleby stopped by while you were being tended to, Harry," Angelina said. "She feels pretty bad about what happened. She feels kind of responsible."

"Well, that's nonsense, of course. I'll have a chat with her when I can. What I'd like to know is what was going on with that snitch," Harry said.

"Um, I believe I can answer that question, Professor Potter," a familiar voice said from the edge of the concessionaires section.

Harry looked over and saw Dunbar Oglethorpe standing by a table, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"And what would that be, Mr. Oglethorpe?" Harry asked as he gestured for the man to come nearer.

He did so, but he still looked uneasy.

"Ahem, well, Professor, as it so happened, the manufacturer of the snitches and other Quidditch balls came to us with a new prototype snitch that they wanted us to look at. It appears there is a bit of a schism in the Quidditch world regarding the snitch. Some want them to be more maneuverable and unpredictable while others prefer higher speeds. Each believes their way would provide more exciting matches. The snitch you faced today was one of the high speed units and we provided it to the referee to allow for a true field trial," Oglethorpe said, and then after a small cough added, "It seems we may have made an error in judgment."

Harry could sense the gathering of storm clouds as the poor man offered his explanation. Considering all that Oglethorpe and QUABBLE had done to make the park happen and their support of the camp, he didn't really want to see him singed, or more likely, burnt to a crisp by the subsequent lightening. So he whispered to his niece to slide off his lap and when Dunbar was finished he stood up and with his good arm draped around the man's shoulders, led him back towards the corridor and relative safety.

A discussion in low tones ensued while the rest watched. After a few minutes and a left handed hand shake. Oglethorpe beat a hasty retreat out of the building while Harry went back to his family. Without sitting down again he said,

"Well, it's been a big day. What do you say we head for home? I think Kreacher and Nibs have something waiting for us."

His family looked at him for a few moments and then collectively gave a little shrug and got up to leave. Travel options had expanded somewhat at the park. Over the previous winter a set of three Floo Network fireplaces had been added for those who didn't like or hadn't been able to qualify for Disapparation. Harry heartily approved of this upgrade and made use of one of the fireplaces to get home. It took a few minutes but eventually the entire clan converged on Meadow Crest.

Although a number of them had eaten at the park, like Harry, they dove into the buffet that the house elves had arranged in the kitchen. As he went about his meal with his left hand Ginny sat at his right, picking at her lunch and watching him.

"How's the hand, Harry?" she asked, finally.

"It throbs a little but the cold bag is helping. I shouldn't think it will be much of a bother."

"What about sleeping tonight?"

"That we'll have to see about. Hopefully, being tired out from the match should help, but you know how it can get when you're just laying there. Time will tell," he said with a little grin which she returned.

He then felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck from behind and heard that breathy voice in his ear.

"How ya feeling, Harry?" Abagail asked.

"I'm doing pretty well, thanks."

"I know that hand hurts, Harry, but I thought I'd let you know that you really made Angus' day."

"How so?" he asked.

"Just before you pulled up to go vertical on that last run, Angus said, 'now, Professor, straight up'. Of course it sounded a lot different but I can't do that accent. Anyway, after the snitch pulled up he jumped to his feet and shouted, 'yes, it works'. Apparently he figured out that's what the snitch was going to do. Seems like his theory works," Abagail said.

Harry nodded as well as he could with her hanging on him like that and said,

"Tell him in the next couple of days, after this starts to feel better, I want to talk to him. I noticed some things about his theory while I was up there," Harry said.

"I'll do that," she said and after kissing him on the cheek, went back to where she was sitting with Angus.

As the afternoon wore on, Harry had to convince more than a few people that his hand would be fine and it's not like he hasn't dealt with being banged up before. And no he didn't need anyone to stay and look after him, he had a houseful of helpers.

As it turned out, the evening and early night weren't particularly restful and the throbbing did make getting comfortable in bed difficult. After some prodding from Ginny he made use of a small amount of the potion Molly had insisted Ginny keep in the house for just such occasions. It didn't take long and he was fast asleep. When he woke up the next morning, the hand still hurt but he at least had a decent night's sleep under his belt.

He was just finishing up his second cup of tea when Kreacher appeared in the kitchen doorway and said,

"Mister Eddie Hillchurch wishing to see Master Harry."

"Of course, Kreacher, show him in, please."

"At once, Master Harry."

In a few minutes Eddie walked in with his usual saunter and a smile on his face.

"Well, Professor, looks like ya 'ad a bit o' a problem, yesterday."

"Yes, I did, Eddie, and around here it's Harry."

Eddie waved this away and said,

"Sorry it is I am that I couldn't be there ta be part of it. Families can get in the way o' so much, ya know."

As the man sat down across from him, Harry looked at him with a bit of a scowl and said,

"If you're expecting any sympathy from me because you missed the match because your mum got sick and asked for you to come see her, you're in for a long wait, my friend."

"Not at all, 'arry, just making light o' things. Serious like though, 'ow's the 'and?"

"Broke all four bones in the hand proper but those have been healed. Pretty sore though. Was quite an impact," Harry said.

"Be careful with them 'ealed bones. I found out the 'ard way that they stay a bit brit'le like for a week or so after they been stitched together. Broke me leg as a youngster and after the 'ealer fixed it I went right back out and broke it again. That's when the feller sez to me, 'don't ya know yer supposed to go easy fer a week or two?' Well, me bein' me, I sez, 'no, I ain't the one wit' all the edication, now am I?'" he said with a laugh. "Me mum gave me a good slap around the ear 'ole for that one."

Harry had to laugh, too. Then Eddie got serious again and said,

"If'n ya don't mind, and maybe even if ya do, I needs to take a look at that Firebolt of your'n."

"Why? I didn't crack up with it. I just caught the snitch going too fast."

"Professor, when did ya get that broomstick?" Eddie asked him.

"Um, for Christmas my third year at Hogwarts," Harry replied.

"And yer last birthday was wot, yer twen'y eighth?"

"That's right. What are you going on about, Eddie?"

"Wot I'm sayin' is, is that yer ridin' a fifteen year ol' broomstick and it's been doin' stuff no broom was designed ta do. After hearin' about yest'day's match, I figger'd I'd better come out and take a look at it," Eddie said.

"Are you trying to say, I'm wearing out my broomstick? I didn't think you could do that. Break it in a crack up, sure, but wear it out?"

"Look 'ere, guv. A broom is made o' wood and sticks and cord and mebbe some nice brass for the foot rests. The magic makes 'em go and helps keeps ya on 'em, but there's nothin' that keeps 'em together. You smash one up, it breaks like anythin' else. Ya put that one through the railin' o' a VIP box the one time, plus all them fancy maneuvers, that puts a lot o' stress on a broom. So, how's about lettin' me take a look?"

"Alright, Eddie, if it makes you feel any better," Harry said, rising from his chair.

The two men walked out of the kitchen and into the corridor and Harry led the way to the broom closet under the staircase. He pulled out his Firebolt and handed it to Eddie. To casual observation it looked in fine condition. The surface held its polish, even the scratch from when it had landed in the forest that awful night was only barely visible. The bristles looked straight and true. Eddie, however, knew what he was looking for and said to Harry,

"Let's take 'er outside, guv. Sunlight is best for this."

Harry nodded and took Eddie out onto the front portico, where the man promptly took a seat on the top step and began a close examination of the broom from handle tip to bristle end. After looking over every inch he reached into his pocket and took out a jewelers loop, one of those small magnifying eye pieces and then began to intently scrutinize specific areas of the broom. Harry sat down in a chair and watched while this went on for perhaps fifteen minutes. Finally his head came back up and he took the loop off and looked over at Harry.

"Much as I had thought, gov. Ya got some real issues with 'er."

"What did you find?" Harry asked, slipping forward to the edge of the chair.

"Wot I expected I would but 'oped I wouldn't. Ya go a number of fine stress cracks through the 'andle, a bunch of the bristles 'ave cracks in 'em, too. And the cordage is startin' to fray and could let go at any time."

"Can it be repaired?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Oh, fer sure, guv. We can replace the 'andle, the cordage and about 'alf of them twigs and she'll be right as rain."

"Eddie, that's practically a new broom," Harry said in exasperation.

"That's about the size of it, yeah. Wot I'm sayin' is, is you need yerself a new broom."

"Eddie, that broom was the only present my godfather ever gave me. I can't just throw it away for something new and shiny," Harry said.

"I wasn't suggestin' any such thing, guv. Wot I am suggestin' is that ya retire this old dear, let me take care of the cordage and bristles and ya take it out for an easy flight every now and again. For the rough stuff I 'ave somethin' ya might be interested in," Eddie said as he handed Harry back the Firebolt.

"What might that be?" Harry asked as he ran the finger tips of his damaged hand over the damaged handle.

"I 'as a lit'le side business buildin' custom brooms. I gots a few of 'em out there with private flyers. I can do stuff with 'em that wouldn't be practic'l like for the general market," Eddie said with a smile.

"How would that work?" Harry said, looking at the broom tech.

"Buy yerself a new Firebolt and then turn it over ta me. I work me magic on it," Eddie said with a grin, "and ye 'ave yerself the finest broom there is."

Harry took in a deep breath and let it out as a long sigh.

"I'll think about it, Eddie. In the meantime see what you can do about this one. I'll pay whatever it takes."

"Right ya are, guv. No worries," Eddie said, taking the broom back.

"And, Eddie," Harry began, "thanks for your concern. I'd never have given any of this a thought."

"Yer welcome, guv. For almost anyone else this'd never be a problem. But ya 'ave the abil'ty to push way past wot anyone else can do. We can't 'ave you takin' one of them Potter Bootlegs and 'avein' yer broom fly apart from the pressure."

"I think I can appreciate that, Eddie."

Eddie just smiled and with a two finger salute, he Disapparated with Harry's broom. Harry walked back into the house and made his way to the library. He walked along his bookcases, looking at titles but not really seeing them. After a while Ginny walked in and seeing him drifting about in such a pensive mood walked up and took hold of his good hand and said,

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Are you in pain?"

"Hmm, oh, no, not really. The hand is feeling alright. Eddie Hillchurch stopped by. He heard about what happened and wanted to see how I was doing."

"That was very thoughtful of him," Ginny said.

"Yes, and he thought about a lot more. He was concerned about the shape of my Firebolt and wanted to look it over. He said he figured with all the things I do with it and the few accidents that it might have gotten worn out, I'd guess you'd say. He examined it and found a lot of stress cracks and the cordage was getting ready to go away. To fix everything would essentially make it a new broom."

"Oh, dear. What are you going to do?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"I asked him to take care of the bristles and cordage and then I guess I'll retire it to some place of honor here in the library. Then I guess I'll take him up on his offer to do some custom work on a new Firebolt. Apparently he has a side business going doing things the factory can't or won't do for something sold to the general public."

"Well that doesn't sound all that bad, dear. Why such a forlorn face?" she asked.

"I guess it's just that it makes me think how tenuous my connection to my past is. I have so few concrete things I can touch that have any connection with my parents or their parents, and so on. Makes me feel a little adrift I suppose."

As he finished saying this a figure materialized in the room not far from where they were standing. Lily looked at her son and daughter-in-law with a kindly smile. She stepped up and wrapped them both in an ethereal hug and then said,

"It sounds like someone needs a visit from his mum. Come, sit down and tell me what you've been up to lately."

"Um, Mum," Harry began, "don't you hear what's going on, anyway?"

"Oh, for the most part, Harry dear, but it's never as good as hearing it in person, as it were. Besides, that other way I don't get the opportunity to ask questions or put in my own opinion. What sort of thing is that for a mother to have to put up with?"

Harry and Ginny both started to laugh. As Lily suggested, they took seats and began to discuss recent events. Soon the room was filled with the sound of conversation and laughter. No better tonic could Harry have been prescribed.


	62. Chapter 62

Professor Potter, Chapter 62

Harry had been in a deep sleep but he slowly became aware of a dark gray swirling mist flowing across the field of view of his mind's eye. That part of his mind that was aware of these events was confused since he was pretty sure he was nowhere near the light doze that usually produced that gray place where he was able to see and chat with the likes of his parents or Professor Dumbledore. What he was seeing now was much heavier, much darker and somehow more serious or sinister than that other place.

He was also pretty sure he had been too tired when he had gotten to bed to be anything but deeply asleep. It was the night before he had to go back up to Hogwarts to meet the rest of the students arriving for the start of the new school year. The past several weeks had been particularly busy, what with the Quidditch camp, two more trips back to the cave to work on the images, and a meeting to hear the presentation of the recommendations of the select committee on the magical research institute project. He was actually looking forward to the start of classes and the rest that the reduced tempo of activities would provide.

He 'looked' as well as he could to try and discern something of the nature of this darker veil but he couldn't make anything out. So he tried a different tack.

"Hello? I say, is anyone out there?"

In response he 'heard',

"Yes, you are."

It was said in a deep, dry reptilian voice that he had come to know very well. In surprise he asked,

"What are you, we, doing here?"

Out of the mist there appeared, or perhaps was formed from the mist, the head of a large green dragon, that regarded him with deep green eyes, the vertical pupils prominent.

"It would appear that it is time we had a conversation."

"But why like this? We've talked to one another often enough," Harry responded, or the human Harry did, it was getting a bit tricky to keep it all straight.

The gravelly rumble that passed for a dragon's chuckle seemed to reverberate in Harry's human bones.

"In those times, one or the other of our forms holds sway, dominating the thoughts of the other. In this manner we are on a more equal footing," the dragon said.

"Then what is it we are supposed to be discussing?"

"What is it that has taken up so much of our time and thoughts of late?"

"The cavern and the images," Harry replied without pause.

"So it would seem. And perhaps other things."

"But why now and in this way?" Harry began to say and then he stopped.

As the face of the dragon that looked similar, in all ways but the pupils, to the one engraved on the wall of the highest room in the cavern regarded him, he considered how he had always wrestled with the most complex issues he faced. He would gather his information, try to understand it and then not think about it consciously until some answer would bubble up from somewhere deep in his subconscious. Was this that place? Was the dragon that deep thinker? Before he could begin to pose the question that deep chuckle rumbled again.

"No, I am not the deep one. I am the anger, the drive, the flyer and when required, the avenging angel. You, I, us, need to look elsewhere. But as I spend more time lurking in the shadows I perhaps understand it better. You understand, I trust, that we are all part of the same consciousness?"

"Are we?" Harry replied. "It's not like I haven't had someone else in here before."

"Ah, that one. A parasite and nothing more. What we speak of here is more basic," the dragon said and Harry thought he could sense some level of frustration. "This is a difficult thing to explain. You must understand that we are not really we. There is simply the one. That which is 'Harry' is the result of those experiences since your, our, birth. However, the deep one is far more ancient."

"You mean like reincarnation?" Harry asked, startled.

"I think not. Perhaps more like a compendium of collective consciousness derived from all those who have contributed to your existence," the dragon said with that same 'chuckle'. "That's a mouthful to say, even for a dragon."

"So you're saying that the deep part of my subconscious is made up of the memories and thoughts of my ancestors?" Harry asked, incredulously.

"Not just the deep part, but the whole. Again, it is not we, but one."

"So does that mean that all those images I've, we've I guess, been working on come from there?"

"No, those came from the energy flows beneath the cavern. They were not here before our encounter with the leylines."

"But why all this then? Why the 'Harry' and the 'dragon' and the 'deep one'? Why not just one big 'me'?" Harry asked.

What Harry felt from the dragon could best be described as a shrug. A really big shrug.

"Perhaps it is a defense mechanism. Perhaps such an awareness before you, we, are prepared might lead to an unhinged mind. Can you imagine the power so embodied guided by madness? Perhaps had Harry Potter been raised in a proper magical family the awareness may have surfaced much earlier, but perhaps not. Much has been learned, but there is much more to understand before that true awareness might reveal itself."

"Just a moment, then. If what you say is true, then isn't it likely that the reason for this particular conversation is that this deeper awareness wants to make itself known and is using you to prepare me for the time when it does fully surface?" Harry asked.

Before the dragon could answer a third 'voice', barely on the edge of 'hearing' said,

"Well done, you."

Startled, Harry looked around for someone to appear out of the mist but there was nothing. When he sought out the dragon it too was gone. However, a bit of thought lingered in that deep dry voice that said,

"The time for 'we' is quickly coming to an end. Soon it will be time for the 'one'."

"Wait a minute, we didn't finish talking about the images. Did we?" he called out but then stopped.

After all, what good would it do to argue with oneself? Harry remained in that darker gray place for some time, considering what he had 'heard'. In a way it started to make a certain amount of sense, although the idea that his mind was some sort of collective gathering of the thoughts and experiences of his ancestors was an odd one. He was familiar with the idea of race memory but he thought that had more to do with things like why your hair stood on end when a wolf howled or something similar. This seemed much more direct and personal. On the other hand he was also a bit concerned because he was also familiar with the muggle concept of schizophrenia, or multiple personalities, as a mental illness.

At some point true sleep took over and he plunged deeply into it. So deeply that Ginny had to shake him rather hard to get him to wake up. Fortunately, he could pass it off as a result of the many days of activity leading up to the start of term.

One of the things that had occurred during the previous weeks was Harry receiving a note from Lavender, suggesting that she might be inclined to accept his offer and asking him to pay another visit to her cottage, and would he prevail upon Abagail to come along.

The young witch was more than happy to join Harry for the trip and so on the Saturday before the start of term, Harry and Abagail were seated at a table in the small private parlor of Madame Levandre's house. A small tea had been laid out and Harry and Abagail sat together on a divan while Lavender sat in a deeply cushioned chair across from them.

"I was really happy to get your note, Lavender. Can I ask what made you decide to contact me again?" Harry asked.

"Well, apparently our old friends from the DA have a fairly efficient communication network established. Not two days after your first visit, I received messages from half of them and everyone had sent one before the week was out. I also got a visit from Susan Bones. We had a long talk, in which you were featured rather prominently," Lavender said with a bit of a smile that helped lighten the expression of her scarred face. "She expressed confidence that your motives were sincere and after we shared our stories of the difficulties we both faced in the days and years after the last battle, I thought if she was able to put it behind her, perhaps I should see what I could do. You know, she carries at least as many scars as I do, just where you can't see them. I'm sure you know what I mean, Harry."

He simply nodded his agreement.

"So, what was it you had in mind for me, Harry?" Lavender asked.

"Well, I thought we'd give St. Mungo's one more go. I'll ask Dr. Antimony if he'll see you. After that, if they can't do anything, we'll pay a visit to the muggle surgeon that repaired my knee. His surgical assistant is the muggle sister of a wizard. She knew who I was and I'm sure she can help us keep your secret as well."

Lavender appeared uncertain. She looked down at her lap, her hands clasped together. She looked back at Harry and said,

"This all sounds rather expensive, Harry. As you can see, I only make a modest living here."

"That will be taken care of, Lavender."

"I'm not comfortable with the idea of charity, Harry," she said, her expression becoming stony.

"You paid a heavy price for what you did to help free the wizarding world from Voldemort. This isn't about charity. It's about repayment."

During the exchange, Abagail had been looking at Lavender calmly. She hadn't 'looked' at her too deeply, but she could feel the anxiety radiating from the witch. It was evident she desperately wanted to accept Harry's offer but she was equally afraid of it ending in disappointment. As if to divert the conversation from its current course, Lavender looked over at Abagail and said,

"And what about you, Ms. Westwood. As an heir of the great Cassandra Trelawney can you see what all this might hold for me?"

Abagail shook her head and said,

"I'm afraid my talents don't include seeing the future. I see other parts of the present and I can look back at someone's past. And in some cases I can link with someone over considerable distances and talk with them."

"I don't think I've ever heard of something like that. Certainly not in Divination class at Hogwarts," Lavender replied.

"It seems to be a fairly unique skill set," Harry said. "Cassandra wasn't her only gifted ancestor. There were several others along other branches of the family tree."

"And what would you recommend?" Lavender asked Abagail.

Abagail hesitated for a moment and then said,

"Harry, would you give us a moment alone, please?"

Harry looked from his old classmate to his daughter and back and then nodded.

"Sure, I'll put some more water in the tea pot, shall I?" he said, standing up and taking the nearly empty pot into the little kitchen at the rear of the cottage.

Lavender regarded Abagail as the younger witch looked back at her intently and then lost the focus in her eyes. They stayed that way for several moments until the clarity came back to those dark, bottomless orbs. The girl tilted her head and said,

"I would recommend you do what your heart desires. Take Harry up on his offer and do whatever can be done to heal your injuries. I would also suggest you open your heart to your old friends. Your loneliness weighs more heavily on you than your physical hurts. I could see how overjoyed you were with the visit by Susan Bones, as much as you tried to hide it. I don't mean to be offensive, but you aren't strong enough to endure too many more years of this isolated life. Harry is the strongest person I know, and even he relies heavily on his family and friends when times get difficult. There are people out there that want to help you, and deep down you want that help. There's no shame in accepting that which is freely given."

Abagail fell silent but held Lavender's gaze with those big dark eyes, and like others before her, the older witch found herself being pulled in. Her own eyes began to fill and in a moment Abagail was standing beside her, cradling her head as the older woman clutched at her arm, sobbing quietly. In the kitchen Harry just stood looking out the back window into the trees beyond the back garden. He had some idea of what was going on in the parlor and he would wait for as long as it took before Abagail called him to come back in. He had to wait for about a quarter of an hour but when he walked back into the parlor, Abagail was once more in her place and Lavender looked a little disheveled but resolute.

"More tea, anyone?" he asked.

"Yes, please," came the simultaneous response.

When he had poured out, Lavender picked up her cup, her hand trembling slightly. After a sip, she said,

"Alright, Harry. I'll take you up on your offer," she said, her voice a little softer than before. "The young lady here offered some persuasive arguments to support you. I'll leave the arrangements to you. You can let me know when you have them made."

"That's brilliant, Lavender," Harry said with a smile. "Oh, and as a start, I've brought you this," he said, pulling a small bottle out of his pocket. "This is something that Nev Longbottom and Professor Sprout discovered. Put a couple of drops in a bit of water and let it warm up. It does wonders for relieving chronic pain and the like. The instructions are on the label."

"Thank you, Harry. That's very kind of you. The usual potions are only marginally effective anymore, and next to useless when it gets really bad, as when bad weather is approaching."

As they finished their tea, the discussion turned to the activities of various friends and acquaintances, what Harry was anticipating for the new term and similar pleasantries. The hard work had been done and now it was time to set their minds to happier thoughts.

When they left the cottage it was with some strong and heartfelt embraces, Abagail getting the first and the last, while Harry thought he was going to have bruises, his old classmate having held him so tightly. As he and Abagail walked along the lane a bit before Disapparating home he looked down and said,

"I'll not ask how you did it, but thank you, little one. I had a feeling that she wanted this but couldn't bring herself to accept the help."

"You're welcome, Harry. Like you say, we do what we can, when we can."

When they returned home several things occurred. Ginny was of course ecstatic by the news and quickly went off to the owlry to start sending messages. Harry had an idea about who had established the DA telegraph. Since all the owls would be tied up for some hours he wrote out a note to Dr. Antimony and asked Dingle to deliver it to St. Mungo's. And for no other reason than to share some of his good feelings he rounded up the two boys and Snuffles and took them out to the front garden where they played until the sun began to near the horizon.

Harry had one more important task to complete before the start of term. As predicted the Minister of Magic had asked Harry to stop by so he could chat with him about the recommendations for the proposed research institute. Since school wasn't due to begin until Wednesday of that week Harry indicated he would be free on Monday to pay a visit to the Ministry. By nine o'clock he was sitting across the big table from his former boss.

"So tell me, Harry, what do you make of all of this?" Kingsley said as he gestured to a large folder that Harry assumed contained the written recommendations of the panel.

"Well, sir, I didn't read any final report but hopefully it contains an option for a less rigid structure than what some have proposed," he replied.

"Oh, that they do, Harry," the Minister said with a smile. "Your suggestion features very prominently. But I'd like to hear a bit more of your reasoning."

"Alright, sir. On the one hand we really don't know what kind of response we are going to get. I'd guess you'd know better here at the Ministry what kind of things people want grants for. But what happens if we put some big complicated structure together and the response is minimal? That's a lot of wasted effort. On the other hand, I can't imagine people being creative and innovative when they have to answer to some big, intrusive hierarchy," he replied.

"And you think we need that creativity?"

"I think so. I think about what some of my students have come up with and where it's leading them. Not to mention what Neville and Professor Sprout are doing. I'm not suggesting we need to play catch up with the muggles. Merlin knows they have more than their share of problems. But I think there are things in the wizarding world that could be dusted off and updated. Old and traditional aren't always good."

The Minister nodded in agreement. He and Harry talked for nearly an hour longer before the older wizard brought the conversation to an end.

"Thank you, Harry, for your time and insights. I'll give it all some more thought and I'll let you know what I decide. Then I'll need to discuss it with Professor McGonagall."

"Yes, sir, and it was my pleasure."

The following day Harry was up at Hogwarts, working on his classroom and in general just wandering around the old place. This would be a special year, as the first of the new generation of what he considered his family made his way to the school in the person of Ted Lupin. He had had several discussions with the boy as the time drew near, mostly about the more mundane matters of classes and workloads, Quidditch and the like, but also touching on their relationship and what it meant at the school.

Abagail had also talked to the boy during the summer, offering all kinds of tips and promises of continuous messages. Aside from the one time, there was no mention of the issues surrounding the loss of his parents and his proximity to their graves in the memorial park.

Shortly after lunch Harry took a walk down to Hagrid's hut. His old friend was out back, tending to his creatures in their various hutches while Norby broke off whatever he was doing to come charging at Harry, stopping just in time before he bowled him over. Harry made a big fuss over the dog and soon had him on the ground, rolled over onto his back, belly and chest rubs gladly being accepted.

"Hullo there, Harry. Ever'thin' alright there?" Hagrid called over.

"Hiya, Hagrid. Yup, everything is fine," Harry replied as he stood up and walked over to the back of the hut. "You all set for the start of term?"

"Oh, aye, Harry. It was a good summer, 'n all the critters are in fine shape."

"How's Buckbeak? I don't see him or the others around."

"Beaky is doin' good. Gettin' a bit older, but still strong. I got 'em all a little deeper in the forest. After the quiet o' summer, it gets a bit ta noisy the first few days the students are back. They'll be back out here next week," Hagrid said.

Harry nodded, happy to know he would be able to see his old friend once again. He felt a strong connection to the big Hippogriff, considering all the time it had spent as Sirius' only companion. At the mention of the forest Harry looked over towards the densely packed trees, the ever present 'veil' tickling the edges of his senses. He had sifted through perhaps half of the images and while he thought he had a pretty good handle on how the cavern had come into being, he was still a long way from understanding who, or what, created it and used it over the eons. He thought it might be time to reconvene the 'family council' and see if anyone might be able to offer some insights.

As he walked back towards the castle after his chat with Hagrid, he could hear shouts coming from the Quidditch stadium as the campers played some pickup games. The official camp ended the day before and now it was just time to have some fun. He was still without his Firebolt. Eddy had said he was taking extra care in putting it back together and Harry had yet to buy a new one. He was still torn by the idea that the faithful Firebolt had to be put out to pasture, so to speak.

On Wednesday morning, Harry sat at the kitchen table, his thoughts still a little fuzzy after the revelations of the night before. In fact, he wasn't even aware of the fact that Abagail had walked into the kitchen until he felt her arms around his neck and her cheek pressed against his. When he looked at her after she let go of him he saw the bemused smile on her face.

"Wow, Harry. You must have had a pretty rough night. I can't remember the last time I was able to sneak up on you like that," she said.

"Good morning, little one. Yes, it was a bit of a struggle getting up this morning. It's been a busy few weeks. I'll be glad to get back to classes."

The girl took a seat across the table from him and poured her tea and helped herself to some of the toast and fruit. She was squinting at him with those big dark eyes and then she said,

"You know, I had a bit of trouble last night, too. I had the oddest dream."

"Odd? How so?" Harry asked.

"Well, it had you and the dragon in it. But you weren't flying or anything. It was like you were just facing each other talking. But the images of you both were shifting around. Sometimes you were you, you know, normal. Other times it was like you were trading bits of yourselves. Like your eyes. And near the end it was like you were overlapping and fading into each other. It was really weird. And the whole time it felt like there was someone or something else watching you both. Like it was all around you. Like I said, pretty odd," she concluded.

Harry merely nodded once and replied,

"Yes, that is pretty odd, little one. I wonder what it all means."

This last statement wasn't really an evasion. Despite the explanations his dragon self provided he was still wondering what it all meant and where it might lead. But those thoughts would have to wait as the students were due to arrive that evening. He had offered to get Ted to the King's Cross but Arthur Weasley had beaten him to the punch. Ted was going to get a ride in the magically modified Popular and Harry was sure he was going to enjoy the ride.

So he finished his breakfast and then made himself look as presentable as he could. As he looked in the mirror at the unruly thatch of black hair, he wondered what Potter ancestor had angered some powerful witch or wizard who then cursed him and his heirs to such a horrible fate. Then he just shrugged and laughed. Ginny had his best robes cleaned and pressed and waiting in a travel bag for him to carry up to school. She wanted him looking his very best for Ted's big day. Harry had to laugh at the thought since he figured the last thing the boy would be concerned with was how well his godfather was turned out.

After hugs and kisses farewell he traveled via the floo network to Hogsmeade and walked the rest of the way up to the castle. As he climbed the steps to the front door he found Stan Shunpike putting a final polish on the door hardware. When Stan turned to face Harry, it was evident whatever Professor Slughorn had come up with had really worked. All the acne was gone and there wasn't a pockmark or scar to be seen.

"Mornin' to ya, Professor. Ready for the new term?"

"Yes, I am, Stan. I'm glad to be back. How was your summer?" Harry replied.

"It was brilliant, Professor. Professor Slughorn was able to make a wunnerful deal on that ointment he tried out on me, so the bonus he promised paid for a very nice 'oliday."

"That's terrific, Stan," Harry said, and then looked at the caretaker more closely. "Um, Stan, did you get your hair cut as well?"

"Oh, aye, Professor. Thought it was in keeping with my improved fortunes, you might say," Stan said and then he looked a bit embarrassed. "I even made the acquaintance of a young lady while on 'oliday. A proper nice witch that remembered me from our school days."

"Congratulations, Stan. It seems things have really turned around for you," Harry said with a smile and then he lowered his voice and asked, "How about that other business?"

Stan looked at Harry a moment and then he smiled in return.

"Found me a quiet little spot down in the lower dungeons. A few little bits and pieces might start showing up 'ere and there, sir."

Harry smiled and clapped Stan on the shoulder and then went inside. He went to his room and hung his robe up for later and then made his way down to his classroom. He was sorting through his samples cabinet, double checking his supplies for the coming months when he heard the familiar clatter of hooves on the stone hall floor. As he looked up, Firenze appeared in the doorway.

"Hail and well met, Friend Harry Potter."

"Hail and well met, Friend Firenze. How are you getting on?" Harry asked, a slight smile on his face.

"I find I am doing fairly well these days, Friend Harry Potter. A most unusual thing occurred during this past summer season. I received a communication from the herd just a few weeks ago."

"Through Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"No, Friend Harry Potter. Directly. I was outside enjoying the view of the evening sky from our favorite vantage point when I was approached by one of the herd."

Harry was quite surprised since he knew that this particular vantage point was near the bench off to one side in front of the castle. Whichever Centaur made this move, he or she had come fairly far afield.

"Is there something wrong within the herd?" Harry asked. "I hadn't been aware of anything beyond the issue with me."

"It was of a more personal nature, Friend Harry Potter. I will not divulge their identity but they wished to avail themselves to my knowledge of humans and how I have managed to coexist in such close proximity."

Harry was pretty sure he knew who the Centaur was but he would not say it, considering their strong sense of propriety.

"I'm sure you were of great assistance, Friend Firenze."

"One would hope so. The Centaur in question was quite conflicted," Firenze added.

That pretty much clinched the identity of the particular Centaur for Harry. It had to be Morgotta. He wondered if the Elder had instructed her to act as Harry's opposite number in the exchange of information that had been discussed over the summer. To change the subject, Harry said,

"I've had the opportunity to speak to a former student of yours, Friend Firenze. Lavender Brown."

"Ah, Miss Brown, yes. A most enthusiastic student, if a bit over influenced by the mysticism of Professor Trelawney. It was my understanding that she was gravely injured in the battle with the accursed one and his followers," Firenze replied somberly.

"She was, indeed. I had lost track of her during my own recovery but I became aware of her whereabouts a month or so ago. Her injuries were crippling and she makes a living casting horoscopes and telling fortunes for muggles," Harry said, going on to explain how Harry had found her and the circumstances of her life.

Firenze's usually stern but placid expression clouded. It was the closest thing to emotion Harry had ever seen his friend express.

"This is grave news. In her later years as a student she did show some talent and was making progress towards an understanding of the stars. To hear of this turn of events is profoundly disturbing," Firenze said.

"I'd imagine it was all she could think to do, considering her state of mind and body," Harry said cautiously.

"You misunderstand me, Friend Harry Potter. I do not find fault with Miss Brown, for one must do what one must to live. I find fault with those around her who should have been there so she did not have to make such choices."

"You may have a point, Friend Firenze. However, that may have been her choice as well. I know of others who have had difficulty dealing with the events of that day, and the days that led up to it. Some are only just now finding their way back into the larger community. And if it makes a difference, Lavender has agreed to accept an offer to have the injuries reexamined and even avail herself to muggle medicine to reduce the severity of their impact on her life," Harry said.

Firenze regarded Harry and the Centaur's features softened a bit. Finally he nodded and said,

"One suspects one knows the source of that offer of assistance. It is to the good. When next you speak to Miss Brown, convey my greetings and suggest that should she choose to visit Hogwarts in the future, I would not refuse her request to converse. Good day to you, Friend Harry Potter. I will leave you to your preparations."

And with that the Centaur turned and Harry could hear the dwindling sound of hooves on stone. Harry took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. Harry thought he understood the source of his friend's reaction. The thought of someone struggling with such difficulties alone was deeply disturbing to a Centaur. He recalled the horror that Celstus felt as Harry poured out the feelings of loneliness and desperation from his childhood. The fact that Lavender was apparently a student who had the promise of attaining some of the understanding that a Centaur had must make the situation all the more tragic.

As the afternoon wore on, Harry continued his work in the classroom while his mind wandered from place to place. He was pleased that the idea of reaching out to the DA this past summer had the added benefit of bringing Susan and Lavender back into the fold, as it were. This happiness was dampened somewhat with the knowledge of what they had been suffering through these past years but hopefully that would be at an end.

The matter of the cavern still loomed large on several fronts, not the least of which seemed to be its catalytic affect on his own mind. Now there was a slide down a particularly slippery slope. Just what was going on in there and how many 'other selves' was he likely to encounter? As he considered this he thought he felt the reverberation of a dragon chuckle echo in the further corners of his mind. At least someone finds all this amusing.

As the sun set outside he went back to his room and began the process of 'making himself presentable' as Ginny put it for the start of term feast and the Sorting Ceremony. Despite repeated suggestions he was not going to wear his Order of Merlin, First Class on his robe. He had no idea where his wife got that idea from.

As the time neared he walked through the corridor towards the Great Hall and bumped into Bill along the way. His brother and fellow professor looked him over and said,

"You're looking fit and every inch the professor tonight, Harry. I'll be glad to report that."

Harry rolled his eyes and smirked. With a shake of his head he said,

"How is it that a grown man has to feel like a small boy sometimes?"

"I think it comes from being loved by very caring people, Harry. They'll watch you go off to fight a horde of fiends, confidant in your return, but can't grasp the notion that you can actually dress yourself," Bill said with a laugh.

Harry laughed as well and then looked at Bill and said,

"I see you aren't wearing your OM either."

Bill looked a bit startled and then started to laugh.

"You, too, huh? I wonder who hatched that notion?"

"I'm having a few suspicions but I think I'll keep them to myself," Harry replied.

Bill nodded and said,

"It's true. You are wise beyond your years, little brother."

Bill draped a friendly arm over Harry's shoulders as they entered the Hall laughing quietly. As they climbed the steps to the dais the noise of the arriving students entering the other end of the big room drowned out any further conversation. With nods to the already seated teachers and Headmistress, Harry and Bill took their seats. The stool with the much used and repaired Sorting Hat held center stage in front of the faculty table. Harry watched as the students poured in, taking their new places one year higher.

He could easily see Anton Dubonais looming over his classmates. The boy was just about the tallest student in the school now. He saw his project team, now all seventh years at the far end of their tables. He had to imagine they'd be around to see him rather soon, both to find out what went on over the summer and to see if they were going to be able to get into the cavern yet. As he looked for other faces he noticed Professor Sprout, as Deputy Head standing at the large rear doors, the new first years clustered behind her. With a nod from the Headmistress, the stout Professor of Herbology began leading the students in double file down the center aisle and then directing them to spread out before the dais.

On cue the Sorting Hat began to sing its song, carefully composed over the course of the previous year.

You stand before the Sorting Hat

All torn and ripped and mended

But fear me not, they'll be none of that

For all will be befriended

Now listen to me closely

As I pronounce your fate

Open your mind so clearly

As I rest upon your pate

Are you Gryffindor or Hufflepuff

Perhaps Slytherin or Ravenclaw

Each house is great and knows their stuff

But in each might we find a flaw

So remember this, I tell you true

You are Hogwarts most of all.

The conclusion of the song drew loud applause and when it died down Professor Sprout produced a roll of parchment and began to read off names. Harry had been watching Ted as soon as he became visible marching down the aisle about two thirds of the way along the line. As someone familiar with what was going to happen he looked only marginally nervous. While a muggle born child might be fearful of all the strangeness, a magical born could be just as nervous about whether or not he or she would get selected into a preferred house. Ted was hoping for Gryffindor.

Now the boy stood in the group at the base of the dais, studiously avoiding looking up at the faculty table. His eyes were riveted on the Sorting Hat and when his name was called out he started a bit and then made his way up the stairs and perched on the stool. Professor Sprout plopped the hat on to his head and Harry watched what was happening intently. The hat was taking a bit of time but it didn't look like Ted was trying to talk to it like Harry had all those years ago. Then the hat barked out 'Gryffindor' and Ted leapt up off the stool and Professor Sprout had to lunge to grab it off his head before he was out of reach.

Ted sprinted down the stairs and made his way to his seat at the end of the Gryffindor table to applause and handshakes from those already seated there. He finally looked up at his godfather with a big proud smile threatening to split his face. Harry smiled back down at him and gave him one of those slow dragon winks that set the boy to laughing. Harry sat back and shook the offered hand from Bill. He smiled up at his big brother and said,

"He's all yours now, Bill. Good luck."


	63. Chapter 63

Professor Potter, Chapter 63

Harry sat in the reasonably comfortable chair in the waiting room of Dr. Angus McLeod's office and next to him was the very nervous Lavender Brown. The trip to St. Mungo's had produced nothing that would help with her damaged hip beyond the plant extract that Harry had already provided. As a result Harry made contact with the specialist's surgical assistant, who was the muggle sister of a wizard. She assured Harry that Lavender would be handled with great care. As Harry looked over at his comrade he saw she was looking out the window at the car park, her hands slowly kneading each other in her lap.

"Are you alright, Lavender?" Harry asked.

"Not really, Harry. If this doesn't work out, I'm stuck with this," she said making a vague gesture toward herself. "I'm about as anxious as I can be."

Harry reached over and gave her clasped hands a squeeze and offered a bit of a smile.

"Have a little faith, Lavender. Dr. McLeod's the best. He should be able to do something, I'm sure," he said, his voice carrying more assurance than he actually felt.

Harry was concerned that he had given Lavender more hope than he could actually deliver but as Lavender was radiating enough anxiety for the both of them, Harry knew he had to offer her all the strength she would take. He squeezed her hand again just as the surgical assistant opened the door and said,

"Miss Brown, the doctor is ready for you. If you'd come this way?"

Lavender looked at Harry with a brittle little smile and said,

"Here we go. Walk me in, please?"

"Of course," Harry said, as he stood and offered her a hand up.

She looked at his hand and with a little shrug took it. With Harry at her side, she followed Amanda Williamson down the corridor to the examining room. When they reached the door Harry released her hand and said,

"This is as far as I go. I need to go down to the car for a few minutes."

"Alright, Harry," Lavender said taking a deep breath.

When Ms. Williamson gave Harry a quizzical glance, he leaned in and said in a whisper,

"Too much magic around muggle electronics causes problems. One of us is no issue but two might be a problem. I wouldn't want to risk it."

"My brother never mentioned that. Alright, we'll see you when we're done," she replied quietly and then in a louder voice, "if you'd come this way."

With a last smile of encouragement, Harry left the two women and walked out through the waiting room. He took the lift down to the lobby and went out to sit in his car. He had brought a book with him and he settled into the well cushioned seat and began to read. After a number of chapters he got that little prickle that told him someone was watching him and he looked around and then up and saw Ms. Williamson looking down from the waiting room window who, when they made eye contact, beckoned to him to return.

Harry left the car and hurried back to the lift and up to the Doctor's suite. Ms. Williamson met him and began to lead him to Dr. McLeod's private office. When he walked in he could see Lavender sitting in a chair across the desk from the doctor. Dr. McLeod stood up and came around to shake Harry's hand.

"Mr. Potter, it's a pleasure to see you again, and looking so well. It doesn't appear that the knee is giving you any trouble."

"No, sir. I feel it occasionally if the weather turns to rain, otherwise it's pretty much good as new. That's why I recommended you to my friend, Lavender," Harry replied.

With the greeting completed, both men took seats.

"Yes, well, I certainly appreciate your confidence, Mr. Potter. Ms. Brown and I were having a bit of chat before you came in. The details of how she was injured were a little ambiguous. It reminded me of our first conversation," Dr. McLeod said.

"I told him it involved a nasty fall and some broken glass," Lavender said.

"Well, sir, if you recall the discussion we had that time, you know I implied certain things that made details impractical."

"Yes, I recall."

"Lavender and I were together under similar circumstances when she was injured," Harry said.

"I see," Dr. McLeod said with a odd little smile. "Well, let's get to down to the particulars then. The primary issue is the right hip joint. It's obvious that the damage was significant and the treatment insufficient, although it's quite likely that even I wouldn't have been able to effect a complete recovery.

The poorly healed hip joint has had a ripple affect by causing you to put uneven pressure on your left side. That's caused some issues with the alignment of your spine. So the first thing that we have to address is the right hip joint."

"Can you actually do anything with it?" Lavender asked a little incredulously.

"The one you were born with? No, it's a total loss. Between the improperly healed injuries together with the degeneration in the years since there's nothing I could do with it. In point of fact, left alone, I would say you'd be confined to a wheelchair in less than ten years," the doctor said seriously.

"So what do you recommend?" Lavender asked.

"We replace the joint with an artificial one. I imagine you're familiar with the notion."

"What, oh, yes, of course," Lavender agreed, but only as a cover for she had no idea what it was all about.

"So you'll remove the damaged bone and replace it with parts made of a special metal, yes?" Harry said to help Lavender understand.

"Correct. In fact, I thought we'd have to go that route with your knee, Harry, but it healed much better than I thought it would," the doctor said and then turned his attention back to Lavender. "Now, Ms. Brown, I cannot guarantee the same degree of recovery as Mr. Potter, but I can assure you that the result will be far better than what you are dealing with now and what will come in the future."

He handed Lavender a small booklet.

"This is some detailed information that you can take with you but allow me to give you an explanation of how this all works."

With that Dr. McLeod used a model of the hip joint and a set of actual replacement parts. Harry saw that she was paying close attention but even he could feel how nervous she was. When Dr. McLeod finished his explanation Lavender sat back and let out a long breath. Harry and the doctor watched her as she considered her options. After a few minutes she looked at Harry, then the surgeon.

"Alright, let's do this. Quite frankly I'm tired of being an old crone while still in my twenties," she said. "When and where can we do this?"

"As is usual in these cases, Ms. Brown, we'll need to conduct some pre-surgery tests and I'll make arrangements for the when and where since unlike Mr. Potter this will have to be an in-hospital procedure. We'll use North Downs Private Hospital in Surrey," Dr. McLeod said.

"Pardon me for asking, Doctor, but have you done many of these procedures? I was under the impression that you dealt mostly with sports related injuries," Harry asked.

"No pardon needed, Mr. Potter. It's a very valid question. In fact, I've done quite a few of these procedures. You might be surprised to know how many older athletes wind up requiring hip or knee replacement after a career, especially if they've experienced any injuries."

"Alright, Doctor. As to the costs, we'll deal with it as we did the last time," Harry said.

"As you see fit, Mr. Potter. So, Ms. Brown, we'll be in touch once we have the schedule worked out. And please try not to worry too much. We've had a great deal of success with this procedure."

"Thank you, Doctor. Harry speaks very highly of you and that counts for a lot, but forgive me if I remain mildly concerned."

There were chuckles all around at this comment and then with hand shakes, Harry and Lavender left the doctor's office and stopped at the reception desk to speak with the assistant.

"Arrangements as before, Mr. Potter?" she asked.

"That's right."

"Excellent. We'll be in touch as soon as arrangements are in hand. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Brown. As I've told Mr. Potter previously, my brother, all of us really, owe you a great deal for what you did. I'm glad we'll be able to find a way to give something back."

Lavender only managed a small smile in response. With a final wave she and Harry slowly walked out of the suite toward the lift. Lavender remained silent until they were in the car and heading back to Meadow Crest. He made no attempt to draw her out. He figured she would talk when she was ready.

"It's all pretty scary when you think about it," she finally said.

"I know. It was pretty nerve wracking leading up to my knee surgery. A least they didn't have to put me under anesthesia for mine."

"What? You were awake while they were cutting and poking and prodding?"

"Yup, I couldn't see it but I heard them talking and they told me what was going on, too," he replied.

"Urgh, I wouldn't want go through that. I'll be much happier being asleep through the whole thing."

"I can imagine," Harry said with a smile.

The rest of the ride home was mostly quiet interspersed with small talk. Harry was glad that Lavender was willing to talk at all. She remained at Meadow Crest long enough to have lunch and then have a conversation with Ginny. Ginny then helped make sure that Lavender got home with Side-Along Apparation. When she got home she found Harry in the library.

"I don't know if you realize it Harry, but you've made Lavender very happy," she said.

"Really? I thought she was pretty anxious about the whole thing."

"She is, but underneath all that is a lot of hope and dreams for the future. She didn't say it, but I know she's also quite happy to be making contact with old friends again, as well," she said as she sat down across from him.

Harry feel back into old habits and shrugged. He got a pillow thrown at him for his troubles. The following morning he was sitting at the kitchen table working on his second helping of breakfast when Ron walked into the kitchen.

"Mornin', Mate.

"Ron! What brings you out by yourself this morning?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Hermione took Rose to spend the day with her mum and dad. I'm on duty this afternoon so I was left on my own this morning."

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Now that you mention it, no," Ron said with a smile.

"Nibs, a plate for Ron, please."

"Certainly, Master Harry."

Ron sat down across from Harry and helped himself to tea. He looked around and said,

"Speaking of being on your own, where's your bunch?"

"Ginny took the boys to see your mum and dad. Must be the day for it. Abagail hasn't gotten up yet. She got in late last night. You're still doing patrol duty?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Training new recruits, mate. Chief Maxwell insists we all take a turn or two with the trainees."

Harry just nodded. He liked that idea. He smiled as he watched Ron start in on the plate that Nibs floated in front of him. After a couple of mouthfuls Ron asked,

"So when's the next trip up to the cavern?"

"This coming Saturday. I'm hoping I can wrap it up for a while. Things are getting busy at school and I won't be able to spare much more time."

"Are you that far along in figuring it all out, then?" Ron asked.

"I'm making some progress. I think I can look for some specifics this time around and then I'll have plenty to mull over during the winter."

Ron looked at his best mate and shook his head, then said,

"I can't even begin to imagine what sort of things go on inside of that head of yours."

Harry laughed ruefully and replied,

"I feel that way fairly often myself."

Then looking at Ron he asked,

"How has the burglary investigation been going?"

"Not all that well, really, mate. There's been a few more robberies and very little in the way of new information," Ron replied with obvious annoyance.

"What about that fellow that the Czechs had arrested?"

"Aside from the stolen goods he had on him he didn't amount to much. His story is he bought the stuff off of a bloke he met in a tavern and he's sticking to it. The last two thefts have been from houses that had some pretty decent anti intruder spells."

Harry was surprised to hear that and it was obvious. Ron nodded and continued.

"No sign of any damage to the doors or windows. We even checked the chimneys and the soot was undisturbed. They either had keys of some kind or they found a way to just pop in and out."

Harry looked off into the middle distance for a moment and then turned to look at Nibs and Kreacher cleaning up from making breakfast. He scowled a bit and then said,

"Kreacher, could I speak to you for a moment?"

"Certainly, Master Harry."

Ron was watching this with a quizzical look.

"Kreacher, we are trying to figure out how someone could get into a house that is protected with spells against intruders. I know that house elves come and go from Hogwarts and you've done it from the Black house in London and here. Is that something all house elves can do?"

"Yes, Master Harry. Wizard's magic will not stop a house elf that way."

"So you're saying that a house elf could just show up in our house here? Why didn't you tell us that from the beginning?" Harry said, with some annoyance.

"Because Kreacher was here. And now Nibs and Dinkle are here as well. No house elf can enter where another house elf is unless that house elf is allowed."

"Oh, I see. Ron? Do you know if those two houses had house elves?"

"No, but I'll have it checked. Do you think that it's house elves doing the thefts?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure, yet. Kreacher? Could a house elf engage in this type of activity? Breaking into houses and shops and stealing things?" Harry asked.

"A house elf would not think to do such things alone. But..." Kreacher hesitated.

"But what, my old friend?" Harry asked kindly.

"If that house elf's master is strong enough, and wrong enough, the house elf will do almost anything," Kreacher said quietly, looking down at his feet.

Harry did not press but he thought that Kreacher was most likely speaking from experience. The Blacks were about as wrong as you could get.

"So do you think that will help at all, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Not sure, mate, but at least it's more than we knew before. Thanks."

Harry just nodded.

For the remainder of the day the idea that someone might be using house elves to commit burglaries was more than a little disturbing. And there was something about the whole arrangement that was nibbling at the edge of his awareness that he couldn't quite get a hold on. It was if there was something familiar about it but he was pretty sure this was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing. It wasn't until dinner time that he got his answer. Ginny and the boys were home and Abagail had finally gotten out of bed around noon. While they were eating Harry told them of what he and Ron had been discussing and the comments that Kreacher had made.

"So, while it's nothing solid, it's at least something that they can start looking into, although I'm not sure how. As Hermione and I found out when we were working on the whole magical races relationship project, there's not much of a community of house elves to start looking into. It's not like you can walk into a tavern where they congregate and start listening for clues," he said with a half smile.

"It seems so odd to think of them doing such things," Ginny said, "but I guess when you think about how Kreacher was when we first met him it's not quite so unbelievable," she finished quietly.

"It's weird, too, because it sounds familiar in a way but I can't get my head around why. I'm sure I've never come across it before but yet..." Harry said, letting it hang.

"Oliver Twist," Abagail said, her breathy voice just barely audible.

"What was that?" Harry asked.

"I said, it sounds like the story 'Oliver Twist'. Do you know it?" she said, louder this time.

"It sounds familiar."

"Little orphan boy, raised in a work house, finds himself on the streets in London. Gets taken in by a gang of boys, all thieves of some kind, and the gang is run by a man named Fagan. I read it as a child, saw a movie on the tellie as well," she said.

"Yes, of course. They even refer to it as 'Faganism' as a law. I think I saw something about it when I was doing my research for setting up the new Law Enforcement section. I thought it all sounded familiar. Thanks, little one. You're really handy to have around," Harry said, a full grin this time.

"Yes, I know," she replied with that impish little grin that always reminded Harry of her as the little first year.

"So, where does that leave us, Harry? Even with all the spells does that mean we are vulnerable here?" Ginny asked.

"I don't think so, Gin. From what Kreacher said, as long as a house has elves in it, other house elves can't just pop in," he replied.

"Well, that's good news, then. So, what else is going on with my brother?"

"Apparently, he and Dad are doing a lot of work on that house they bought. Their former landlady, now tenant, is away for about a month so they are starting with the ground floor and working their way up. You know, paint, trim, a general freshening up. Hermione is getting ready to transition to a new job at the Ministry. She has the agreements with the other races well in hand and a small staff trained up so the Minister wants her to do some work with Percy in International. I guess he's taking my advice."

"What advice is that, Harry?"

"When they did that going away thing for me at the Ministry, Mr. Shacklebolt commented that if I came back I could wind up as Minister of Magic one day, remember that?"

"Yes, I do."

"When I politely rejected that idea I suggested that he consider Hermione for some different assignments throughout the Ministry in preparation for her taking that post someday. I think he might be doing that after all."

"Wow, imagine that," Ginny said.

The week that followed at school was, as always, a busy one. Harry was answering lots of questions from sixth year students on possible projects. His team from last year was after him to allow them access to the cavern. He suggested, but did not promise, that after this last expedition on Saturday, he thought he would be assured enough that it would be safe for them to see it. He was also working on a list of suggested students to attend the first session that Morgotta would conduct during the week after next.

Harry hadn't had the chance to speak to the Centaur, being told that she was 'making preparations' for the session. Considering what he knew about his friend, the idea of 'preparations' could have several different meanings. He had also received invitations to visit both Black Sea and Beauxbaton during the coming year. He would need to talk to the Head about this, since she would be the likely substitute in his absence. While she assured everyone she was fully recovered from her illness, Harry had his suspicions that it had taken a serious toll on her.

The way his schedule worked out this year he had the later half of his Wednesday morning free. It was a beautiful late summer day so he decided to take a walk down to the memorial park and then maybe a quick stop at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It was only ten minutes or so and he was standing at the entrance to the park. He had been there the first day of classes but regardless of how long or short a time had passed since his last visit the same feeling took hold of him standing there. A tightness in the throat, the tension in the stomach and a feeling of deep sadness and regret. And above all else the sense of loss.

He withdrew his wand and as he walked along the path he regarded each of the stones, reading the all too familiar names. He was ready to place some flowers on any site that looked bare but it appeared someone, or several someones, had gotten there before him. When he got to Fred's grave he saw who it had been. Sitting on the stone bench, her attention firmly fixed on the simple marker, was Molly Weasley.

Harry stood there a moment or two and was nearly ready to back away when the thought of doing so struck him as absurd. More so than just about any other, this was the time when being part of a family meant the most. He gave a little cough and then said,

"Hello, Mum, I didn't think to find you here."

Molly looked around at the sound of the cough and gave a Harry a small smile.

"Harry, dear, what a pleasant surprise. Come sit down beside me," she said, patting the bench seat.

Harry did as she directed and they shared a hug while seated. She then looked back towards the stone and sighed deeply. Without looking back at Harry she said,

"You have a break from classes, I suspect. It's nice of you to come down here."

"I try and get down here every other week or so. I understand that Bill has taken over my habit of bringing the first years down to see it. Fewer students every year who know about what it all means," he said.

"Well, I suppose that's to the good, but for those of us who lived it..." she let it hang.

"I guess you get up here fairly regularly, then?" he asked.

"I try to do it twice a week or so, weather permitting," she said quietly.

Unseen by Molly, Harry's eyebrows shot up. He hadn't realized it had been so often and he wondered why he hadn't run into her here before. It was then that a thought that he had encountered a number of times before occurred to him. He cleared his throat and said quietly,

"Um, Mum, if you don't mind me asking there's something about Fred being gone that I've wondered about from time to time."

"Ask, Harry."

"Well, it's just that, um, I guess it seemed to me that not much attention was paid to it after he died, at least from what I could see," he said quietly.

Molly didn't respond right away, but just nodded a bit before she said,

"That was how it was intended, dear."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Molly turned to look at Harry, a sad smile still on her lips, and she took his hand in hers.

"We, Arthur and myself, decided that very night, that awful night, that we needed to shield you from all of that as much as we could. Oh please, Harry, don't look at me like that. If you had any notion of what you looked like that night you'd know why we felt that way. And with you collapsing they way you did, we figured we were right. After we sent you and the rest of the children off to bed we talked for a long time. And we weren't alone. More than a few people had seen you head out to Dumbledore's office and commented how bad you looked. So, after you and Ginny left our little family meeting we talked to the boys and through a lot of tears we discussed how we were going to deal with you."

Harry was stunned. How could an entire family suppress all that grief for his benefit. Suddenly it seemed that any of the things he had done for the Weasleys over the years didn't seem to have been enough. But he kept that thought to himself. He had learned a lesson or two over those same years. He settled for,

"I had no idea."

"That was the plan, dear. The grief was there, certainly, we just made sure you didn't see it. I know you get annoyed at the idea of us protecting you from bad news and the like. But in those first years, right or wrong, you just seemed so fragile," she said, smiling a bit more.

"I suppose in some ways I was, particularly compared all of you," he said, shaking his head.

"Now, don't give it a thought, Harry dear. There's not a one of us who thinks we didn't get the best of the bargain. Now, what say we spread a little color around this place?"

Harry smiled a bit at the suggestion and together they walked along the path using their wands to cover each site with bouquets, blankets and wreaths, almost as if they were trying to outdo each other. As they neared the end of the path Harry thought that there needed to be some more trees and flowering shrubs. He'd talk to the gardeners that tended Meadow Crest.

"I was going to walk down to see if George was at the shop. Would you like to come along?" Harry asked.

"Thank you, but no, dear. I know it provides a good living but I just find the whole thing so, well, silly," she said.

Harry laughed a bit and then gave his mum a long hug and watched as she walked the short distance to the little stone house. Harry had long since given her a key so she could use the Floo Network to ease the strain of travel for her. He strolled the rest of the way to the shop, thinking about what his mum had told him. In a way it didn't surprise him as much as it might have. It was part of that ever expanding store of knowledge that was 'family' that he figured he'd be adding to for the whole of his life.

As expected the store was quiet on the outside but inside the activity level was feverish. The first Saturday for Hogwarts students was quickly approaching and the store had sat empty for the summer. Harry saw Gregory Mendel among the several clerks working to stock shelves and to his surprise Gabrielle was there as well. As the door chime sounded, everyone turned to look. Gabi let out a girlish squeal and hurried toward him.

"'arry!" she said as she threw her arms around him and tried to squeeze all the air out of him. "Eet 'as been so long."

"Yes, it has. Where have you been hiding yourself?" he asked as he managed to pull far enough away to look her eye to eye.

"Well, George 'as me very bizzy. I am learneeng much about the bizzness. That's why I am 'ere. I weell be helpeeng 'ere dureeng the Saturdays for a few months," she said flashing that dazzling smile.

"Is that the only reason?" Harry asked, looking over at Gregory who was regarding him nervously.

She leaned closer and whispered into Harry's ear.

"Gregory and I are just friends now, 'arry. No, no. Eet was just not meant to be. Do not 'old eet against 'im, please."

Harry looked into those sparkling blue eyes and asked,

"Are you alright?"

"Oh, oui, yes, 'arry. I 'ave been much too bizzy lately. Eet ees part of the reason we decided to not, 'ow you say, take the next step. Eet ees just not the time."

Harry nodded and then said,

"Alright, if you say so. Do try and find some time to stop by the house. I know we'd all like to see you more often."

"Of course, 'arry, I weell try once we get the store ready for the students."

He nodded a last time and said to everyone in the store,

"I can see you all have a lot to do so I'll leave you to it. Good luck with the first day of students, try not to let them run all over you."

With a wave he turned and left the store and started walking back towards the school and lunch. It had turned out to be a very eventful day. Things settled down a bit or at least as much as the early weeks of school allowed until Friday morning when he had his first year transfiguration class of Gryffindors and Slytherins. As it happened, Harry never paid much attention to assigned seating. Wherever the students wanted to sit that was fine by him as long as they behaved. In his time at Hogwarts he only ever had to move someone around a few times. Usually a steady gaze from those green eyes was enough to put a stop to behavior he found unacceptable. And the students generally kept the seats they selected at the beginning of the term.

Therefore, he was a bit surprised to see young Ted Lupin now sitting in the rear of the room, nearly concealed in shadows. Based on the discussions that Harry and Ted had had during the summer, neither went out of their way to either show too much familiarity or aloofness. They tried and so far had succeeded at maintaining a conventional student/teacher relationship. So Harry merely took notice of Ted's new location and made no mention of it.

As was his habit when talking to his class he did some walking along the aisles and as he got closer to Ted he thought he noticed some discoloration along the upper right side of his face. Knowing Ted's tendencies he figured he better ask what it was about. When it was time to dismiss the class Harry said,

"Alright, that's it for today. Remember to finish reading chapter one and have answers for the questions at the end ready for next time. We'll discuss them in class. Mr. Lupin, a moment of your time, if you please."

As the class filed out, Ted hovered towards the rear of the room until Harry beckoned him forward with a wave. As the boy walked towards the front of the room he kept his head down until he was standing right in front of his god father. When he looked up at Harry, a large bruise with a bit of an abrasion become quite evident.

"Good lord, Ted, what happened to you, and when?" Harry exclaimed.

"I, uh, fell down a flight of those moving stairs on the way back from dinner last night," the boy said sheepishly.

"How did you manage that?"

"Um, well, the staircase was swinging away from the landing and I thought I could jump across but I missed my timing and hit the edge of the bannister and it swatted me back down the stairs. I thought I knew how to fall, I've done it enough times, but somehow I managed to do this."

"Did Madame Pomfrey see you?"

"Yes,sir. One of the prefects took me to her. She said I should be alright and gave me one of those cold bag things to use to keep the swelling down," the boy replied, but it looked like he was going to say more and then stopped.

"And?" Harry prompted.

"She said no matter how hard a head I have I'd better not be thinking of trying to best my god father for time spent in the hospital wing," he said, his face splitting into a grin.

"Yes, well, she's right about that. Alright, off with you, and for Merlin's sake would you please try to be more careful."

"Yes, sir, but I'm always trying, I just don't seem to be very good at it," he answered and then with a last grin dashed out of the room in pursuit of his classmates.

Harry could only watch him go, shaking his head at the prospect of what the next seven years would hold. He wondered for a moment if leaving the Ministry had been the smart move after all. Then he laughed a bit and made ready for his next class.

Early the following morning, Saturday, Harry was up and ready for what he hoped would be the final trip to the cavern for some time. He had been working his way through the images and thought he had formulated some good questions to ask the 'beings' that he had encountered previously. At least he hoped they were good, but if not he was willing to put up with their condescending attitude if it resulted in some answers. He would have a full compliment of companions with Abagail, Bill, Charlie, Ron and Eleanor coming along. Charlie and El were going to do some exploring around the outside to see if there were any more signs of who might have used the chamber last.

Harry was also expecting to meet with Bane and Ronin on the way. After a good breakfast provided by the house elves, the intrepid explorers made their way to Hogwarts and Hagrid's hut. As before, they waited for a few minutes while Abagail and Norbie got reacquainted. And as before she promised a longer visit on the way out. With a last wave to Hagrid they began the trek to the entrance to the cavern. As they walked Bill asked Harry,

"So, little brother, what are your expectations for today? Do you think this will wrap it all up?"

"Oh, I don't think so, Bill. A famous man once said something about it not being the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning. If I can get some answers to my questions today, I think I can start putting pieces together and figure out where to look next. But whatever happens it will be the last time until next summer or close to it. I have to concentrate on school and such now," Harry replied.

"I understand that, Harry. Which reminds me, maybe tomorrow we can talk about a few things. I have some ideas for projects that some of your sixth years might be interested in," Bill said.

"Sure, Bill, that would be great. I have a few that are stuck for something to do."

Any further conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Bane and Ronin emerging from the trees along the trail.

"Hail and well met, Friend Harry Potter," Bane began, "and to your companions."

"Hail and well met, Friends Bane and Ronin. I'm very glad to see you this morning," Harry replied.

"As are we to see you. We also bring a message from the Elder requesting a visit at your earliest convenience. There is much to discuss per recent events," Ronin said.

"I will try to come in the afternoon one day next week. I'll send a message via Hagrid on Monday."

The two Centaurs merely nodded and motioned for Harry to proceed. The rest of the trek was uneventful. It was warm, pleasant day and while the forest was full of sound their was no sense of menace and for Harry the 'presence' had lost any worry for him and was now little more than background noise. When they turned off the main path to the newly formed one that led to the passage entrance they were met by one of the sentries, a female that Harry did not recognize. Seeing who was approaching she merely nodded and stepped back gesturing for them to continue on.

"Friends," Harry began, "most of us will venture within, but Charlie Weasley and Eleanor MacManus wish to remain above to look for signs of the ones who might have built this passage."

"I will remain with them, Serpent King," Bane rumbled. "I have little liking for such spaces as those below."

"I will go with you, Friend Harry Potter," Ronin said. "I am not over fond of the dark myself, but my curiosity is more compelling. With your leave, of course."

"Absolutely, Ronin, this place belongs to all of the magical community. You're more than welcome," Harry said and then had a thought. "I thought perhaps Morgotta might have been here this morning."

"Morgotta is much involved in the task that the Elder has set for her. It troubles her somewhat but she is determined to put forth her best effort after the example you set. She did send her respects and will be ready when the time comes," Ronin answered.

Harry merely nodded and offered a tight smile.

"Alright, folks, in we go. Charlie, if you or El find something interesting, let us know."

"Right, Harry."

The four humans and one Centaur began their walk along the passage way, crossing the pole bridge one at a time, with only a bit of creaking as Ronin passed across last. From his place at the front of the group Harry thought he heard a snort but he chose not to ask. One thing that he did want to try had to do with opening the end of the passageway. Instead of putting his hand on the spot and thinking about the need to move on he simply stood before the wall and pushed out the idea that he and the others needed to continue the journey. With the faintest of sounds the wall shifted and the edges were revealed. He put two hands on the left side and pushed and the rock slab swung back out of the way. He heard a low whistle from either Bill or Ron from behind.

With four wands alight the little band made it's way down the circular stairway. Ronin, who was marginally larger than Morgotta had to carefully negotiate the steps to prevent any bruising or abrasions. When they reached the bottom and stepped into the dimly lit cavern he said,

"One thing is most certain. This place was not built with Centaurs in mind."

"Bit of a tight squeeze, my friend?" Harry asked with a smile.

"More than a bit, Friend Harry Potter."

"Well, this is it, Ronin. The cavern goes off to the right for some distance and ends at a wall. To the left is the structure with the rooms and the pillar we found. That's where we are headed."

"Lead on, Serpent King."

As they walked Ronin looked down at Abagail and asked,

"And what might be your role in these events, small warrior?"

Abagail gave a start at being addressed so directly but then she recovered and looked up at the serious face of the Centaur.

"I can make some contact with the pillar and see some of what Harry sees. I'm also here to help keep an eye on him," she replied.

"Worthy tasks all," he said.

The party walked around the side of the structure and they gave Ronin a quick tour showing him the rooms and the pillar and explaining more fully what they thought it meant. His expression didn't change but his stance indicated some tension as he listened. Harry didn't fail to notice and he resolved to discuss it with his friend later.

"Alright, well, if you'd all give me some room, I need to get settled and started," he said.

As he walked out into the middle of the cavern floor the others moved to the small passage on the side of the structure. They watched as he lay down and then made the change. They felt the rush of air that was displaced and then saw him shift so that his tail could be brought into contact with the pillar. They heard the bell tone and watched as the walls and floors began to take on the color and pattern of dark green scales. The three humans turned to look at Ronin to see his reaction. He stood immobile, his face set, his arms crossed on his chest. His expression gave no indication of what he was thinking or feeling.

For Harry the process was familiar and as the dragon side of him took hold he made contact with the flow of energy and held it tightly, letting just enough in to assure he knew that he was in contact. In times past he had made contact with the beings by bringing up their image and waiting until he was noticed. He thought this passive approach may account, in part, for their attitude that the speaker had assumed with him. This time he thought he would try a more direct approach. He was going to tap into the power flow directly and call them to him, if he could.

He opened the 'valve' controlling the flow of energy and let it take hold more firmly. Then he pushed with his mind to move toward the flow instead of the other way around. At first he felt some resistance but then this disappeared and it was like he was grabbed by a powerful suction and he felt himself pulled along the flow connecting him to the main leyline. Entering this flow was like emerging into the cavern from the tight confines of the circular staircase, only many times larger. He 'looked' around in fascination. Shapes and patterns suggested themselves and then swirled away, always against a background that was intensely bright yet not blinding.

In the cavern, however, things were nowhere near as fascinating, or calm. As soon as Harry began his ride along the connection to the leyline, the green glow winked out. The only light in the room was from the wizard wands and a bit of green glow coming from under Harry's eyelid. Abagail let out a gasp and then said in that barely there voice,

"He's gone. Oh my god, he's gone!"

"Abagail, what are you talking about, who's gone?" Bill asked.

"Harry. Ever since that first day at Hogwarts, I've been able to feel him, a sense of his presence. Even when he's far away it's always there, if fainter. But now I can't feel him at all. He's gone somewhere and I can't feel him," she said, the panic in her voice rising.

Then she dashed forward toward the dragon's head and she placed two hands on it's snout and began to 'shout',

"Where are you, Harry? Come back, don't leave me here," she practically wailed, pushing at the great head.

The others rushed up behind her and Bill pulled her away.

"Abagail, have a care. If Harry's gone somewhere, who knows what you might wake up," he said.

The girl was crying and wringing her hands. The others could feel the almost overwhelming panic that seemed to be emanating from the girl like heat from a stove. Ronin maneuvered around and knelt down so he could more readily look at Abagail's face.

"Small warrior, calm yourself. Recall the time when those men attempted to seize you. How you were able to call the Serpent King to you. And how you laid low one of those that held you. One who could accomplish that can control themselves now. The Serpent King requires this of you."

As he spoke he held fast the gaze of the young witch and his words and his firm resolve worked their own magic on her and she began to settle down. Ronin nodded a bit and said,

"Indeed, that is what I thought. Now, think. Where might the Serpent King have gone and how might you look for him?"

Abagail thought hard and then she blurted out,

"The pillar."

She wriggled out of Bill's grasp and sprinted for the opening, but it was a run fueled by purpose, not panic. As the others followed after, Bill said,

"Well done you."

Ronin simply nodded. They could see the diminutive figure in the glow of her own wand struggle to get by and over the big tail that occupied a large portion of the doorway to the center room that contained the pillar.

By the time they reached the door themselves and looked in they could see the girl standing on the side opposite the door, her hands pressed against the smooth stone surface. As they watched they saw her lean her head closer and closer until her forehead touched the faintly glowing obelisk. After a moment or two her head snapped back and her eyes flew wide open. She was also smiling.

"He's there, it's faint, but he's there, in the flow."

Then her eyes rolled up in her head and she slid to the floor. Bill and Ron scrambled over the tail and struggled to get to Abagail. Bill got her up to a sitting position and looked at her.

"She's breathing and her color is still pretty good. She must have overdone it again looking for Harry. Let's get her outside."

"Right," Ron replied.

Ronin was standing to the side of the tail in the doorway and he held his hands out to take the tiny girl. Bill handed her through the doorway and the Centaur took her up as if she weighed nothing. He backed away to make room for the brothers to get out and then they moved over to the wall of the cavern near where Harry left his back pack. Bill and Ron were also carrying small rucks and they rummaged through them to pull out a small blanket, Harry's portable stove and the makings for tea. Abagail was laid on the blanket, her head pillowed on Ronin's foreleg, as he settled down against the wall.

Meanwhile, Harry was unaware of any of this as he cast about for some sense of the familiar. Unlike the stream of images that would play across his minds eye, he saw only vague outlines against the bright background. Since he didn't appear to be in any imminent peril he tried to 'call' out to whomever might be around.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

The swirling seemed to quicken a bit but beyond that there was no reaction. Again he called out, or more likely, projected a thought.

"I say, is anyone out there, or in here?"

As he waited he began to wonder which part of him was here. Was it the dragon part that was ascendant when he made contact, or was it the nominal Harry that was his day to day self?

"You must learn to stop thinking in those terms," a new but strangely old voice seemed to say.

"Hello?" Harry replied.

"You must stopping thinking in the plural. We is really I. What seems to be we is just a collection of different facets. Different sides of the same coin, or in this case, a die, for I am a most complex mind."

"So this goes back to the other night. I'm talking to myself," 'Harry' offered.

"If it helps to think of it as such so be it. But put it aside for now. Now is the time to explore the possibilities of this situation."

"Well, that's what I'm trying to do. I'm looking for those beings I've seen in the images. But you, I, damn, know that already, yes?"

"Of course. It is also known that no such beings exist. At least not in any true sense," the old voice said.

"What does that mean?" 'Harry' asked in surprise.

"Someone created the cavern above, that is obvious. When that knowledge and the preconceptions gathered through a lifetime came in contact with the reality of the power flows, the so called leylines, the images were generated to provide a framework of understanding for what was experienced."

"I made up those beings to try and make sense out of all this?"

"In a word, yes."

Harry, or the nominal Harry, paused and thought about this. There might be some sense to it. If he accepted the idea that his mind was some sort of complex multi-layered affair, what was being suggested did make more sense than being able to communicate with the essences of long dead creatures across a huge gulf of time. What he also realized with crushing disappointment was that there was no one here to answer his carefully thought out questions.

"Don't be so hasty," the old voice countered. "Have I, we, not ferreted out the answers to perplexing problems before?"

As Harry 'listened' he could begin to pick up a tone in this other him that reminded him of the haughty condescension he had heard, or more likely imagined, coming from the speaker of the 'beings'. A voice from Potters past he guessed.

"Alright, so let's look at this logically. One of two things may be happening here. We stumble across this place and I find I can tap into this energy flow and as a result I nearly spontaneously create out of whole cloth a vast history of images from my own imagination to try and understand it. Or, the images are more or less real, the result of some imprinting of information onto the flow coming from those that have been in contact with it before."

"Either could be truth, or neither and something else entirely is the reality," the old voice countered.

"Well, let's see then. I'm immersed in the flow so I should be able to wring something out of it with a little effort," Harry concluded.

He cast about for what looked like a familiar outline, something that he could get a grip on, so to speak. He thought he glimpsed a shape that looked like a slitted cats eye and he 'reached' for it. The eye suddenly took shape and it stared back at him, the pupil a bright orange color. He tried to expand the view and as more of the creature came into view it looked like a smaller version of himself, the scales running from brown to tan, the whole creature perched on an outcrop of rock. The view might have been of an observer crouched behind rocks, watching the dragon.

Having seen what he could he released the image and looked for something else. To one side he thought he saw the outline of a hut and he took hold of it and soon he was 'seeing' a small village of roughly built shelters, in the background was a small ridge and the beginnings of a rock structure. The ridge looked out of place but the opening suggested something. Perhaps this was the entrance prior to the last ice age which had ground away the last of the rock above ground, or perhaps buried by the glacial till left behind. With growing ease he began to recognize more shapes and he could open them to study them in detail.

Above, his companions had settled down around the little stove and a small magical lantern that was in Harry's pack. No one spoke, they simply sat and watched the inert bulk of the massive dragon, the only movement was the occasional expansion and contraction of the ribs as the slow breathing continued automatically. How long they waited they didn't know until the sound of foot steps could be heard coming from behind the structure. Looking down the narrow 'alley' they saw a blob of light appear that contained El and Charlie.

"What's going on? It's almost dusk out there. What happened?" Charlie asked.

Abagail was still asleep and El moved over to see how she was doing. Bill began to explain what had occurred and Charlie stood looking at the dragon. After Bill finished he walked along the dragon's side. He watched as the ribs moved and then he leaned close to listen to the slow, heavy thud of the heart. Then he crouched down beside the head and looked at lidded eyes. There was no movement. When he returned Bill said,

"So, what do you think?"

"It's like he's in a state of torpor. Sometimes if a dragon is short of food or gets too cold they go into a state like that. It's not like when he was in that coma, but more like no one is in there so the body is just looking after itself. What do we do?" Charlie responded.

"We'll give him another hour or so and if nothing changes, we'll get Abagail out of here. A couple of us can stay and keep an eye on him. I don't think he's in any danger like this, but if he comes back to himself he might not be in any shape to get out," Bill said.

"I will remain. It is one of our tasks," Ronin offered and said nothing more.

"I guess I should stay here," Charlie said. "If anyone can recognize a dragon in distress it would be me."

Bill just nodded. Meanwhile, Harry was beginning to feel weary and thought it must be time for him to return to the cavern. He took some time to consider what he had learned. Apparently the past was indeed the past and events had left an imprint on the power flows. Perhaps it was the result of observers of the events leaving those imprints through making contact with the pillar. Or perhaps there was some way that it occurred more directly. It also appeared that when he immersed himself in the power it stripped away the boundaries that existed between those layers that he had come to think of as himself, the dragon and the deep thinker. Indeed there was no we, only I and he wondered if that would remain when he returned. Or did the form assumed impose some constraints on the mind contained? He seemed to recall thinking about this before.

The old voice made no comments. Perhaps Harry had come to understand enough that it wasn't needed anymore, or only for the time being. Again, there would be much to think about and consider in the coming months. Perhaps Professor Dumbledore or Merlin might have some ideas. He thought that they may not have knowledge per say, but he had come to greatly respect their ability to reason their way through a topic and propose avenues of investigation for Harry to pursue.

Confident that he had taken things as far as he should for the time being and having gotten answers that would keep him occupied for quite a while, if not the ones he was looking for, he thought about returning to the dragon. He had arrived here by pushing his way towards the flow so he thought he would try pushing back. He conceived the notion of pushing himself backwards and again there was that brief resistance and then he felt himself almost swimming backwards along the connecting line of energy, flowing back into the dragon, to that familiar place behind the dragon's eyes.

At about the same time that Harry returned and Charlie saw a slight tremor in the dragon's body, Abagail sat bolt upright, her eyes wide and she exclaimed,

"He's back!"

As she struggled to get to her feet, Charlie hurried towards the dragon's head, relieved to see the eye moving beneath the lid. El helped Abagail to stand and went with her at nearly a dead run while Bill, Ron and Ronin followed behind. The young witch practically threw herself at Harry's head, pressing her hands on his snout, her head close.

"He's in there, I can feel him," she cried triumphantly.

The great eyelid slowly opened and the head rose a bit. Abagail stepped back but leaving one hand resting on the warm, dry skin.

"What's all this then," Harry ground out.

"Please, Harry, change back, just do it," she pleaded.

After a single nod the eye closed and within two slow dragon heartbeats the dragon was gone and Harry was lying face down on the floor. He rolled himself over and was starting to sit up when Bill offered a hand. Almost as soon as Harry got to his feet he was nearly knocked off them from Abagail hitting him at a full run. She was clinging to him and mumbling into his chest. Harry held her tightly and stroked her hair, whispering to her. Finally she pulled back enough to look up at him.

"I'll ask again, what's all this then?" Harry said, looking down at her.

"Do you remember what I said to you after Angus and I came back from our trip?"

"Yes, I do, very well," he replied.

"It felt like you were gone, Harry. You went somewhere and I couldn't feel you at all. Not until I touched the pillar and tried really, really hard. You were so far away, I thought you had left me here alone," she told him weakly.

Harry saw the remnants of the panic in her eyes and heard the edge in her voice and he pulled her tighter to himself, resting his cheek on her head.

"I'm sorry, little one. I didn't know what would happen. I didn't think I was all that far away, just down there. But I guess it might have been worlds away. But I'm back again. No worries, alright?" he said and let his grip lessen.

She looked back up at him and said,

"Aright, Harry, it was just so scary."

As she looked into those green eyes behind his glasses she didn't even have to try hard to see what was behind them and what she saw made her stiffen and her eyes go wide. Harry simply nodded and said,

"We'll talk later."

She nodded in response and might have said something but they were interrupted by El who said,

"Harry, it might be just a trick of the light, but it looks like you have some gray hair. I don't recall that from this morning."

He just looked at Abagail and smiled a bit more.

Authors Note: Due to time constraints the next several installments will most likely come at longer intervals. Please watch for alerts and thank you for your continued interest.


	64. Chapter 64

Professor Potter, Chapter 64

It had been a long day for Harry and his companions. Once he was able to assure them that he had suffered no harm and was merely tired, they packed up and made their way to the outside world. Ronin and Bane exchanged a few words and then fell in with the little troop as they trekked out of the forest. Harry and Abagail set the pace that was slower coming out than had been going in. Eventually they made their way to the edge of the forest and Hagrid's hut. The two centaurs bid Harry farewell until his meeting with the Elder later that next week. They spent some time with Hagrid resting and accepting his offer for some tea.

With the sun below the horizon the group of explorers broke up with the three brothers and El Disapparating

home and Harry and Abagail taking the short walk to the little house in Hogsmeade to make use of the Floo Network. They had tacitly agreed that they would not discuss what had happened until they were safely home. When they came in the back door they found Ginny in the midst of dinner with the boys.

After hugs and kisses all around Ginny pushed Harry and Abagail into chairs saying,

"You two look completely done in. What happened up there?"

"It was very interesting day, right, little one? There is a lot to tell and discuss but let's wait until later when we can concentrate and not worry about being interrupted," Harry said, looking meaningfully at the boys.

Ginny nodded with a bit of a smile. They did mention the visit with Hagrid and that he and Norbie were both healthy and apparently happy. James asked his father if he was ever going to get to make a trip to the cavern and Harry replied that he could go once he was old enough to make the trip in and out on his own. This seemed to placate the boy, if not exactly please him.

After they finished eating, Harry took the boys and Snuffles down to the play room, taking care not to get them too wound up after eating. They played some games and he read them some stories until Ginny came down to declare it was time for bed. The parents split the load with Ginny taking Albus to the nursery and James and Snuffles going with Harry to the upstairs bedroom. With a hug and a kiss for his son and some serious ear rubs for the dog he got them settled in.

Harry went back downstairs to the living room where he found Abagail already there. He sat down in his usual chair by the hearth and looked over at her.

"So, what did you make of it all?" he asked.

"If you mean what did I see there at the end when you came back, I'm not sure but it seemed like I was looking into a room that had gotten a whole lot bigger after a wall I hadn't noticed before had come down," she replied.

Harry nodded and then said,

"And what about the rest?"

"I don't think I've ever been so scared before. It was like someone had turned off a light that had always been on. I was almost in a full fledged panic until Ronin was able to calm me down."

"I'm sorry, little one," Harry said softly.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose, Harry, but please don't do it again," she said with a small smile.

At this point Ginny came in and Nibs came in behind floating a full tea tray.

"I thought we might need this. You two look like you won't last much longer," Ginny said.

Harry laughed, then said,

"You're right. This body definitely wants sleep, but the mind isn't ready yet."

"Alright, so while the body is still awake how about telling me what went on up there? I get the feeling it was something quite significant, if at least not catastrophic."

"Well, we each saw it from a different angle so I'll start off and Abagail, feel free to jump in," Harry began.

He started explaining what he had hoped to find out and what questions he was going to ask. He talked about his idea for taking the initiative with the robed beings and the resulting 'trip' into the flow, or so it seemed. Ginny's eyebrows shot up at this but she didn't say anything. She sat in her favorite place on the well upholstered couch, nestled deep in the cushions, her legs pulled up in that complicated knot that always made Harry's left knee ache just by looking at her.

At this point Abagail cut in with a description of her panicked search for Harry after she lost contact with him and the way Ronin had been able to get her to pull it together and then finding him, or at least an awareness of him in the flow using the pillar and then losing consciousness. Harry couldn't help but smile when she talked about waking up and finding everyone sitting around having a brew up.

Harry then picked up the thread again recounting the internal dialogue, or perhaps monologue, as he tried to reason his way through the differences in what he thought was going on and the apparent reality. He finished up with his return and what had passed between he and Abagail. The girl repeated her impression of what she 'saw'. Ginny looked at her husband with troubled eyes.

"So what you're saying is you believe that you, the dragon and the part you call the deep thinker are all just you at different levels or something?" she said.

"In a manner of speaking, yes, I guess so. I still need to give it a lot more thought but I think that is essentially it," he said, suppressing a shrug.

"I wonder why though," Ginny mused. "Wouldn't it have been better for you to have had all those abilities available to you before?"

"I'm not so sure about that, Gin. Can you imagine a nine or ten year old kid in my circumstances knowing he had a sleeping dragon inside him, maybe trying to prod it awake," he said with a smile.

"So, Harry, does this mean you're like some super genius who knows everything," Abagail asked.

This got a little laugh from Harry.

"No, little one, I don't think so," he said still chuckling. "I mean, I still have no idea why some few people can do magic while the vast majority can't. And although I know it has something to do with it's wings, I have no idea why a muggle airplane can stay in the air. Not to mention I don't know how house elf magic works. But I do think that what has happened might make it easier for me to learn and understand such things."

"How do you mean, sweetheart?" Ginny asked.

"When we were visiting Hagrid earlier, right before we left I was just sitting there thinking while the others talked and Abagail played with Norbie. For some reason I started to think about Angus' ideas about the snitch and the maths that he was using and it started to make more sense to me. The things that he explained to me seemed to fit together better. I'm thinking that maybe with these barriers or partitions coming down it might make understanding things easier. I'm going to experiment with some of the more difficult material I've come across in the books I've collected. Stuff that didn't make a lot of sense before and see if it is clearer now."

"So, in other words, you could become a Mr. Know everything, eventually," Abagail suggested.

Harry looked at her, nodding sagely and said,

"Perhaps, little one, if I lived for a million years and they stopped developing new knowledge every day."

Her eyes went wide and then narrowed to a squint as she wrinkled her nose at him.

"Very funny, Mr. Smarty Pants," she said and then yawned widely. "Wow, that's it for me then. I'm off to bed."

Abagail pulled herself out of her chair and walked over to Ginny and exchanged hugs. The she went to Harry and hugged him as he sat, whispering into his ear.

"Remember your promise."

"I do and will," he whispered back, giving her an extra squeeze.

Harry and Ginny watched as the little witch walked slowly from the room. Ginny then turned to Harry and said,

"It sounds as if she was pretty terrified there for a bit."

"It seems I'm not the only one with issues about being alone," Harry replied and then he told Ginny about the conversation he and Abagail had when she and Angus had returned after cutting short their visit to the continent.

Ginny's expression was somber as she looked at her husband and then said,

"It's not surprising really. You two do come from similar circumstances and have traveled roughly similar journeys. It explains a lot about how close you two are, almost like siblings in a way."

Harry just nodded.

"And what about you, love? How is all of this affecting you that way?" Ginny asked.

"How do you mean?" he replied.

"Well, I know that you have concerns about, how did you put it? Something like when does it become too different for people," she said quietly.

"Oh, that. Yes, I have given that some thought and I decided that as long as you don't ever think I'm too different, that's all that matters," he said with a smile.

She smiled in return and then rising from the couch, she walked over and sat on his lap. She put her arms around his shoulders and cradled his head to her chest, resting her cheek on his unruly black hair. He was holding her around the small of her back. Then she lifted her head and with a finger under his chin, tilted his head back so she could look directly into those bright green eyes. With another smile she said,

"I worried about that for a time but decided that your differences are simply part of what makes you you. The you I love. So you have nothing to be concerned about."

Then she leaned in to kiss him. It was a kiss that was intended to be light and brief, but quickly became deep and lingering. As it turned out it took Harry more than a while to get to sleep that night but it had nothing to do with what was on his mind.

The following morning, Harry woke up in a state that could best be described as disheveled. He was alone, but that was usually the case in the weekend. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he decided that a shower would go a long way to getting him to some level of functionality. Leaving his glasses behind, he shuffled his way to the bathroom and the shower. It was perhaps half an hour later when he finally left the bedroom. His damp hair was actually laying flat, more or less, and his shuffle had been replaced by steady steps. He was however, still feeling the affects of the previous day and night and was in desperate need of his first cuppa.

As he walked down the hall he was met by this upbeat and fully awake wife.

"Well, hello there, sleepy head. I was just on my way to see if you were awake yet," she said as she came up and wrapped him in a hug.

He returned the gesture, squeezing her tightly. She snuggled into him and then said,

"That does feel nice, but you better get some breakfast. I can hear your stomach growling and you'll need to be wide awake. Fleur and the girls will be here in a little while."

Harry groaned a bit a this news and then looked down at Ginny.

"What's the occasion?"

"Just a visit and play date for the kids. We had it planned since early this week," Ginny said.

Harry simply nodded and allowed Ginny to steer him to the kitchen and breakfast. He had hoped to spend a quiet afternoon in the library conducting his experiments and getting in a nap on the couch. Now, at a minimum, he would have to face questioning from Fleur about yesterday. Fortunately, with no physical injury, Victoire would most likely go easy on him, once she checked on his healed right hand.

As he walked into the kitchen he saw Nibs floating his first plate onto the table. Another piece of elf magic of which he hand no understanding. Unerringly, Kreacher or Nibs would have his meals ready no matter what time he woke up or walked into the house at night. But lack of understanding did not mean a lack of appreciation.

"Thank you, Nibs. Spot on as always. I think I'll need some extra tea this morning."

"Nibs has made Master Harry's tea somewhat stronger this morning. It seemed appropriate."

Harry laughed as he sat down.

"Yes, I believe you're correct."

Ginny gave Harry a last hug about the shoulders and then said,

"You'll be alright, Harry? Only I need to get some things ready for when Fleur and the girls arrive."

"I'm fine, Gin. Nibs will see me right," he said with a smile. "I'll say this though. Whatever may come from what happened yesterday, it sure doesn't seem to help with my early morning fog."

Ginny smiled and kissed the top of his damp head and hurried from the kitchen. Harry smiled and then began attacking his breakfast. The dragon, conscious or not, had used up a lot of energy. He was nearly through with his first plate when a thought occurred to him.

"Say, Nibs, where is everyone else? It seems awfully quiet this morning."

"Master Harry's family has already eaten and Miss Abagail has James and Albus in Miss Abagail's room doing pictures. Nibs overheard Mistress Ginny ask Miss Abagail to do this thing."

Harry nodded with a knowing smile. Ginny would want the boys to look presentable when Fleur and the girls arrived. They had discovered that about the only thing that would keep the boys from getting seriously 'disheveled' in short order was posing for Abagail. She found they made excellent models for her children's books illustrations. He did wonder how Abagail was doing this morning. The previous day had been rough on her as well. He decided when he finished his breakfast he would go and find out.

It took three plates full but he was finally satisfied and after thanking Nibs, he went in search of the kids. He took the stairs at what could best be described as a sedate pace. Between a full stomach and a still weary body he had no choice. He found the door to Abagail's suite open and he walked in. Unlike the normal sounds, or noise, that usually resulted when the three were together, Harry could only hear the murmurs coming from the little studio.

Poking his head through the doorway he saw Abagail at her drawing table. The two boys were sitting on the floor as if they were playing with a ball but they were holding still. Harry regarded the scene with a bemused smile and then he said quietly,

"Someday you'll have to explain how you do that."

"Hiya, Harry," Abagail replied, looking up from her work. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"A little tired but alright otherwise. You?"

"No too bad, actually. I got a good night sleep and woke up in pretty fair shape. I imagine a nap is in the near future, but that's about it," then she said, "Alright, boys, that's enough for now."

"Da!" the boys yelled in unison.

Harry knelt down to meet their charge and gathered them up in his arms.

"You boys ready for your cousins' visit?"

"Yes, Da," James said, with a note in his voice that Harry picked up on.

"What's the matter, James?"

James looked over at Abagail, who was putting some things away and then leaned toward Harry and said,

"They're girls, Da."

Harry tried hard to stifle a laugh and he saw Abagail look over, her eyebrows arched high.

"James, your mother and big sister are girls," he reminded his son.

"That's different, Da. They're big girls," James replied seriously.

"Well, just try and be nice to them and have some fun."

Harry then walked over to Abagail's drawing table and looked at the sheets she had been working on. It was a collection of scenes with the boys playing at different games.

"So what are all these then, little one?"

"I'm in between commissions right now, Harry, so I'm building up a stock of images I can use for future work. You know, different scenes of children. I'm going to talk to Fleur today about doing some of her girls. It's kind of like what I've been doing with you over the years," she said, almost as an afterthought.

"I'm sorry, what was that again?" he asked.

"Oops."

"You were saying," Harry prompted.

Abagail blew out a breath and then said,

"Since we moved into the house and I had this space to work in, I've been drawing scenes from your various adventures, sort of like a visual version of Ginny's journal."

"Where are you getting the information?" he began and then it dawned on him.

She had been in his head more than a few times and she never forgot what she saw.

"And the reason for all of this?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied. "I thought maybe the Ministry would let me put on an exhibit in the foyer. I can title it 'Portraits of a Hero'. What do you think?"

"I think that you better be having a go at me or you and I are going to have a serious discussion," he said firmly.

"Of course, I'm having a go at you, Harry," she said with a giggle as she slid off the stool. "I love seeing you all serious like that. I'm doing it as a way to practice and improve my skills. Plus I find the subject matter to be very interesting. Ginny did mention something about incorporating them into her journal somehow."

Harry snorted at the idea as Abagail came over and gave him a hug.

"Ease up there, Harry. You're far too young to be such a fusspot."

"Fusspot?" he started but got no further when they heard Ginny call up to them to bring the boys down.

"Come on, Harry. Gotta go," she said, taking hold of one hand each of the boys and leading them out of the room.

He let out a long slow breath and shook his head. It had been his idea to bring her into the family, after all. By the time he got downstairs he saw his two boys being fussed over by Fleur and surprisingly, Gabrielle. Victoire and Dominique were getting equal attention from Ginny and Abagail. When Harry appeared, Vee let out a squeal and hurried to her uncle, then as if remembering something, she came to a quick halt and looked at her uncle, holding out her right hand palm upward. Harry placed his right hand in hers and watched as she examined it closely. Then she looked up at Harry.

"You're hand is all better, Uncle 'arry?"

"Yes, it is, Vee. No aches, no pains, no problems," he said flexing it as she held it.

She considered this and then let go of his hand and held her arms up. Harry smiled and swept her up and squeezed her until she screamed, then the two started to laugh. In a matter of moments the greetings were finished and Gabrielle and Abagail were herding the children to the basement playroom. Ginny went to the kitchen to see how preparations for lunch were coming along, leaving Harry with Fleur.

"'ow are you feeling today, 'arry?"

"Not bad, Fleur. I slept pretty well and I think there's a nap in my very near future so I'm doing pretty well."

"C'est bon. Beell told me what 'appened. Eet was very strange, yes?" she said as they sat down in the living room.

"In a way, but the way it turned out isn't nearly as strange as it seemed at the beginning," he said with a grin.

"You mean the strange beings from long ago?"

"Exactly. When I first encountered them it seemed so fantastic. Then when Professor Dumbledore and Merlin suggested it was me linking to some sort of imprints it made a bit more sense, but not all that much. Now it all seems to fit better, but I still need to work on it a lot more."

"So, 'arry, you are sayeeng you don't theenk those beings ever existed?" Fleur asked.

"I'm saying I just don't know. Somehow all that information about the past got into that energy flow. And someone or something made that cavern and put that pillar there. Whether or not it was a bunch of oddly shaped people in hooded robes with bad attitudes, that's another question. But now that the barriers are down in here," he said tapping the side of his head, "I might be able to figure it out."

When Fleur looked at him quizzically he explained what he thought had occurred. Fleur shook her head a bit and then smiled at him but it seemed a bit wistful. Harry looked across at her and said,

"What's wrong, Fleur?"

"Oh, I was just thinkeeng, 'arry. You 'ave grown so much. There is so much more confidence, yes? I theenk per'aps you don't need me or muum as you used to," she said.

Harry smiled and laughed a little which drew a frown from Fleur.

"What ees so funny, 'arry. I am very serious," she said indignantly.

"I'm sorry, Fleur, I know you are. It's just that for the first time since I've known you, that is, known you well, that you've gotten something about me so completely wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that what ever you see that makes you think that I don't need you all doesn't make you unnecessary. It's because of you and it makes you and Mum and all the others absolutely vital. It's because I know I have you all to back me up, to pick me up and brush me off and to keep me from falling over the edge, that I feel confident enough to explore that edge and to push the boundaries. No, big sister, don't get any ideas about retiring anytime soon," he said with a big smile, "you and I are in this for the long haul."

Fleur's eyes were very bright and a little misty. With a shaky little smile she stood up and gestured for Harry to do the same. When he did she wrapped him in a tight embrace which Harry gladly returned. When he felt her ease up he pulled his head back and said,

"Now, what do you say we go downstairs and see if Gabi and Abagail have been tied into chairs yet?"

Fleur's laughter filled the room. Harry's fears were unfounded, of course, as the two younger witches had the children well in hand. In fact, they had them wrapped around their little fingers. Harry's boys were utterly enthralled by their Auntie Gabrielle and Abagail could keep Fleur's daughters occupied for hours with her sketching, her story telling and the amazing ability to tell them little details she knew about them and their lives. Harry spent some time in the play room until he was satisfied that all was well and then he excused himself and retreated to the library.

As a test case for his experiment, he pulled down a heavy, musty old book that had been a part of the first collection that he had acquired. He recalled that a good deal of it had been difficult to wade through and some was downright incomprehensible. As he began to read through it again, he first discovered that the language was no easier to read, but he was able to piece together the ideas represented by the ponderous prose more readily. And in those areas that still didn't make sense or connect with the rest of the material, he was confident in believing the author had gotten it wrong.

At one point he got up and went to the desk that Ginny generally used for her journal entries and borrowed a muggle pen and small notebook. He used them to jot down notes and then take the torn out page from the notebook and put it in the old book. He decided he would need to take a trip to the muggle stationers otherwise it would cost him a fortune in parchment for what would likely be lot of note making.

That night as Harry slept he had that frequent dream that he was flying patrol as the dragon around the grounds of Meadow Crest. However, this time he was feeling something different, something out of the ordinary, but he couldn't see it or get a good sense of what it was. Perhaps the dream state didn't permit such. The dream was interrupted by an insistent voice and tugging.

"Master Harry must awake," he finally heard and understood.

His eyes fluttered open and without his glasses all he saw was a short blur next to his bed. After groping for his glasses on the night stand he saw that a very anxious Dinkle was standing next to the bed, tugging gently on Harry's pyjama sleeve.

"Master Harry must awake," Dinkle repeated.

"I am awake, Dinkle. What's the matter?"

"There are strange house elves at the edge of the property. At the trees beyond the meadow," Dinkle replied.

"Strange as in you don't know them?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but also strange up here," Dinkle said, tapping his forehead. "These house elves do not feel right."

Harry immediately thought of the idea that house elves were somehow involved in the rash of thefts and burglaries.

"Will Bill Weasley's alarm spells work on house elves?" Harry asked.

"If the house elves do not find them and disarm them first, Master Harry."

"Can you tell if any one else is there?"

"No, no others, just three or four house elves," Dinkle said.

"Alright, go wake up Nibs and Kreacher, but stay in the house and look after the family. I'll go see about our visitors," Harry said as he got up and then a thought occurred to him. "Dinkle, what would happen if a house elf came face to face with a dragon?"

"If it is a sane house elf, that house elf would be frozen with fear. Always have the house elves been afraid of the dragon kind. It is one reason why house elves sought the protection of witches and wizards so long ago."

"Alright, Dinkle, go get the others."

As Harry was pulling on his pants Ginny stirred, saying muzzily,

"Harry? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, dear, go back to sleep."

"Mmmm," was the only answer he got.

He went to his closet and pulled out his jacket and his invisibility cloak. He tucked his wand inside his jacket. He left the bedroom and hurried to and through the kitchen, leaving the house by the back door. He wrapped himself in the cloak and then he Disapparated into the center of the meadow. Standing beneath the cloak he scanned the woods. Slightly to the left of directly opposite the front of the house he thought he could sense four small figures.

To have gotten that far, they must have been able to bypass Bill's alarm spell. Not knowing if they could perceive his presence despite the cloak he thought of Abagail's trick and tried to think inward. After a few moments four pasty white elves in ragged scraps emerged from the trees. Their big eyes were wide and their ears stood up. It was clear they were extremely apprehensive.

Harry strained to try and hear anything they might be saying. He didn't want to try and bring the dragon forth even a little bit to improve his hearing if it might somehow alert the intruders he was so near. Then he recalled that he was no longer just Harry or the dragon or the deep thinker. There were all him, so he just directed his hearing at the four little creatures and listened.

"This is the house of the great Harry Potter. This is not a smart thing to do," one said.

"There is no choice, this is a thing which must be done," said a second.

"It is not right that house elves should be made to do such things," replied the first.

"When the One says 'do this', do it house elves must. But it is not to be done tonight. Tonight is to find out how it might be done," said a third.

So they were just doing some reconnaissance, Harry thought to himself, probing the defenses. Well, he might as well nip it in the bud. He carefully laid flat on the ground, feeling the chill of the grass through his pants legs. With a single thought the vast bulk of the great green dragon appeared, the massive head no more than ten paces from the now terrified little elves. Two of them promptly collapsed in dead faints while the others, presumably braver, simply froze in place, their eyes wide in panic.

Harry pushed his head forward, halving the distance between himself and the trespassers Based on his field of view he knew his eyes were somewhere between the usual slit pupils of a normal dragon and the more rounded ones he had acquired of late. With just a bit of concentration he bought the fully vertical pupils to the fore. Seeing this, one of the two upright elves succumbed and toppled over. Focusing on the last, Harry ground out,

"Who are you?"

The house elf could only squeak in response.

"Who are you," Harry repeated.

"W-w-w-w-whimplebury, o-o-oh Great One."

"Why have you come?" each syllable caused the little elf's bones to vibrate.

"The One told the house elves to-to-to come and find a way in," the little elf stammered out.

"Is this One out there somewhere?" Harry growled.

"N-n-n-no, oh Great One, the One remains apart."

What Harry intended as a snort caused two puffs of smoke to jet from both sides of his mouth, which sent the last elf over the edge and it too collapsed. Surveying the four inert figures, Harry resumed his usual form and then said to the air,

"Dinkle, Nibs, I need your help."

Almost immediately the two house elves appeared.

"Yes, Master Harry," Dinkle said.

"Would a normal 'incarcerus' spell work on these four?"

"It would be better if Master Harry allowed Dinkle and Nibs to deal with this."

Harry nodded and then watched as the two waved their hands and the four recumbent elves were suddenly bound shoulder to ankle in what appeared to be green vines. The vines seemed to be alive, based on the movement. Harry nodded his approval and then said,

"Lets get them inside. Maybe we can find something out about them. We'll go down int the basement."

"Yes, Master Harry," Dinkle replied.

Dinkle and Nibs each levitated two of the still unconscious elves and started toward the house. Harry followed along, trying to sense anyone or anything still out in or beyond the trees, but could find no one. As they neared the front portico, the door swung open and Kreacher stood and watched as the two younger elves floated their captives inside and took them toward the kitchen and the stairway to the basement. As Harry came in he said,

"Thanks, Kreacher."

"Master Harry is most welcome. If Master Harry has a moment, Kreacher would like to ask a question."

"Go ahead, Kreacher," Harry replied, stopping to look at the elder house elf.

"Kreacher wonders why Master Harry did not call Kreacher for assistance with the trespassing house elves."

"That's simple, my friend. I needed someone to stay in the house to watch over the family. That had to be the person I trust the most, you," Harry said seriously.

"Ah," was all the elf said but he added a bow before closing the door.

Harry had already turned to head towards the basement, thereby missing the huge grin that split Kreacher's wrinkled face. When Harry got to the basement, he found that the four captives had been placed in chairs taken from the Tome study area and extra bindings had been added. All four were awake and looking extremely fearful. Nibs and Dinkle stood nearby, looking at once angered and embarrassed. Harry took an empty chair and placed it in front of the four and sat down.

"So, you're the ones that my large green friend found lurking at the edge of my property. He mentioned to me that you came because someone you call the 'One' sent you to find a way into the house. Why?" Harry asked.

"These house elves do not know why the One wants what is wanted, only that it is wanted," the elf who was the last standing said.

"Are you four responsible for the break-ins of the stores and other houses, stealing magical items?" Harry asked.

None of the four said anything but their anxiety appeared to heightened. Nibs, who was standing somewhat behind and to the side of the four captives touched a finger to the side of his head and then shook it, which Harry took to mean he thought the four were not in their right minds. Harry nodded in agreement. He asked a few more questions but got no real answers. He finally got up and called his two elves closer.

"Keep a close watch on them. See if they need something to eat or drink but don't let them loose. The might harm themselves. It's almost dawn. Before I leave for Hogwarts I'll get someone out from the Ministry."

"Yes, Master Harry," Dinkle said.

Harry went upstairs and found Kreacher working on an early breakfast. He went into the library and wrote out a note. He then went up to the owlry to send it off. Normally he would have sent one of the house elves but he didn't want anyone away from the house just yet. As a result, when Ginny came into the kitchen some time later she found Ron, the Deputy Chief, and Anthony Goldstein sitting around the kitchen table with harry. She pulled up short and asked,

"What's all this then?"

"We had a few unauthorized visitors last night, love. They were out by the trees at the far end of the meadow. Nibs and Dinkle are watching them downstairs. I was just filling these fellows in of the particulars," Harry replied evenly.

"And you didn't think to wake me up?" Ginny asked.

"I thought it would be better if we toke them alive. You know how fierce you can be," he said, not batting an eye.

"Very funny," Ginny replied, her eyes tight. "Does anyone want any tea?"

"No, than you, ma'am," Milligan replied. "We need to get on with this and I need to check on the others."

"The others?" Ginny asked.

"Two more investigators checking the edge of the property and three Specials plus your brother here to keep an eye on things," Milligan explained.

"All that?" Ginny asked, sounded surprised and a bit concerned.

"Better safe than sorry, ma'am. Plus we take a rather proprietary view of the Professor and his family," the older man said with a bit of a smile.

Before Harry had to leave for Hogwarts he brought the three Aurors into the basement. Milligan regarded the four bound house elves, who looked back a him with wide eyed, but blank, stares.

"Alright, Chief," the Deputy finally said, "we'll take it from here. I may need to borrow your two fellows here. I'm not all that familiar with house elves or their magic."

Harry nodded and turned to Dinkle and Nibs.

"I'd like you to do what you can to help Deputy Chief Milligan. Make sure that our captives don't get away but don't let them hurt themselves, understood?"

"It will be as Master Harry wishes," Dinkle said.

With a parting nod Harry left the basement and went back to the kitchen. Ginny was sitting at the table with an untouched cup of tea in front of her.

"Milligan will take charge of the four trespassers. He may need Dinkle and Nibs to help move them," Harry told her, then turned to Kreacher. "I'll need you to say here as we discussed earlier."

"Most certainly, Master Harry."

"You'll be alright?" Harry asked Ginny.

"I should think so. The house is secure, so we'll be stay inside today. And I'd guess that Mr. Milligan won't take all his people away until he's sure we're in the clear. Plus I imagine the Weasley telegraph will have reinforcements arriving any time now," she said with a grin. "Off you go. I'm sure there are people at Hogwarts you'll want to ask about his."

"Yes, starting with a kitchen full of house elves."


	65. Chapter 65

Authors note: This is a reposting of this chapter. Apparently, the initial posting was minus all quotation marks. Not sure how that happened but now it's fixed. My apology to early readers and thanks to those that alerted me to the issue.

Professor Potter, Chapter 65

"So you see, we are all very concerned about someone who is able to compel house elves to do something like this," Harry said while sitting on a small chair in the kitchen at Hogwarts.

He was looking at nearly a hundred pairs of white luminous eyes that were regarding him intently. Some look amazed, a few troubled, but mostly they looked perplexed.

"What I would like to ask you is have any of you ever heard of something like this before or heard of this particular situation?"

Many of the pairs of eyes blinked and some turned to a neighbor to share their puzzlement.

"As the great Harry Potter should know," a high pitched but gravelly voice said, "elves don't know much about anything but cooking food and washing dishes."

Harry looked to the sound of the voice and saw a wizened looking house elf standing off to one side regarding him with rhuemy but intense eyes.

"If the great Harry Potter wishes to know what house elves know, the great Harry Potter should be talking to housekeeping elves."

"I assume you're one of the housekeeping elves?" Harry asked.

"The great Harry Potter is correct."

"Alright, first of all, I've been here at Hogwarts for some time now, so Professor Potter is sufficient. And your name would be?"

"Brumble is one's name," the old elf replied.

"Alright, Brumble. What is it that the house elves who work upstairs know and how would they know it?" Harry asked.

"House elves hear the students talk, talk, talk. Hear much that means nothing to house elves but sometimes hear things that house elves know too well. How some students don't like what Professor Potter and the tricksy Hermione Granger have done for house elves and the Centaurs and Goblins. House elves hear that maybe someone should do something to show witches and wizards that old ways are the best ways. That's what house elves hear."

"So you think this 'One' person is using house elves to commit crimes so that witches and wizards will think house elves can't be trusted on their own?"

The aged elf gave a very human like shrug and said,

"Brumble tells Professor Potter what house elves hear. Professor Potter must decide what it means. Professor Dumbledore always said good things about Professor Potter when Professor Potter was still Harry Potter. So Brumble tells what house elves hear."

"You've spoken to Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

Brumble nodded.

"Brumble cleans Headmaster's office and rooms. Brumble talked to Professor Dumbledore many times. Professor McGonagall not as much but some. Brumble has told what house elves hear, now must go back to work."

With that the old elf shuffled across the large room and disappeared through a small door. Harry looked at the door for a few moments after it closed, thinking that at least he had some notion of what might be afoot. After thanking the other house elves for their time, Harry left the kitchen and headed for his classroom. There was some time left before his first class of the day, but he would have to wait until the afternoon before he could search out Professor Dumbledore.

Harry made a concerted effort to maintain his focus on his students in the meantime. He had learned over the past few years that a distracted Professor Potter was a noteworthy subject and really got the rumor mill grinding. Staying focused also helped the day go faster so it didn't seem like all that long before he was standing outside the Room of Requirements. Opening the door he found the room with no chair and just the empty picture frame, all very business like. He smiled a bit. He stood before the frame and said,

"Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, are you there, sir?"

"Harry, is that you, my boy? One moment, if you would."

Harry thought he could hear a soft chorus of muffled voices and an attempt by the former Head to quiet them. The the image of the Professor walked into view.

"Ah, Harry, so good to see you. How may I be of service?"

"Good afternoon, Professor. I had two things to talk to you about. Well, one was really a question," Harry said.

"Why don't we start with the question?" Dumbledore suggested.

"Alright, sir. Have you ever come across a situation where house elves were used for criminal activity?"

"Well, Harry, while I can't say I've had any personal experience, I do know that on some occasions that if a wizard or witch is strong willed enough, they could get their personal house elves to do some rather unpleasant things. Perhaps you should provide some details."

Harry proceeded to explain the circumstances of earlier that morning. When he was finished he waited as Dumbledore regarded him in thoughtful silence.

"Most unusual, dear boy. Particularly if your surmise is correct that these are the same house elves that committed the rash of burglaries recently. Most unusual but not unthinkable, Harry. Exactly how, and by whom, it is being done, that is the real question."

"Yes, sir. That's what the investigators at the Ministry are trying to figure out. I thought I'd help by seeing what we at Hogwarts might know."

"As always, I will question my colleagues and inform you of anything useful that the portrait gallery might have to offer," the former Headmaster said, with a small, wry smile. "And what might be the other matter that you wished to discuss, Harry?"

"Well, sir, we made another trip to the cavern this past Saturday. Some things occurred that you might find interesting and I'd like to get your thoughts on them, if you would."

"Of course, Harry. Pleas go on, in your own time of course."

Harry explained the events of the previous Saturday. As always, when speaking to his mentor, Harry paid particular attention to the expression on Dumbledore's face as an indicator of the seriousness of whatever situation he was currently concerned with. At this particular time he noted several slight nods, a raised eyebrow and once the former Head pursed his lips. Harry concluded his narrative with his rereading of the obtuse volume of magic and his notes. When he finished Dumbledore waited for a few moments before offering any comments.

"Well, dear boy, he began, this is certainly a most interesting turn of events. But not all that surprising, in it's own way. My colleagues and I have often commented on our suspicions that there was a great deal going on beneath the surface, where you were concerned. So it would now appear that we were far more correct than we could have imagined. I suppose one could question the timing, but perhaps it truly is merely a consequence of your encounter with the pillar and energy flow it connects with. I would agree with your assessment that the young Harry would not have been well equipped to deal with such capabilities."

"I sometimes wonder if the current Harry is, sir. It all seems a bit much at times," Harry said with his characteristic half smile.

"A thought for you to consider, Harry, is that any individual possessed of great skills and talents can either choose to revel in them and use them as an excuse to raise themselves above their fellows, or they can acknowledge them and use them as needed for the benefit of their fellows. I am pleased to say that you have always followed the latter path as I would anticipate you always will."

"I noticed you didn't say anything about ignoring them," Harry said.

"Just so, Harry. You can no more ignore what you are and what you can do than you can ignore breathing. Eventually an outlet will be found. Nor will I suggest to you that you shouldn't be concerned about your abilities, Harry. The fact that you are indicates a proper frame of mind and a healthy respect of the possible consequences of their use. A wizard who callously disregards such is on a path to disaster."

Harry nodded.

"But as to the specifics, the possibilities are most intriguing, Harry, and I look forward to some very interesting discussions with you about what you discern from your studies of some of those arcane volumes you've discovered. I must admit that I never spent sufficient time studying such. There always seemed to be some distraction or another," the Headmaster said with a straight face.

"Yes, sir, I can imagine you've had many concerns during your career," Harry replied just as blandly.

Dumbledore chuckled.

"I'd like to make an observation if I could, dear boy?"

"Certainly, sir."

"Over the years, you and I have had a number of conversations. In the early years, as one might expect, you were often looking for answers to problems you were facing. And I would try to help as I could but do you remember what I often told you?"

"Yes, sir, I think so. You would say that in the end I would have to look to myself for the answers," Harry replied.

"Just so, Harry. And of all the things you may have learned from me I think that is the lesson you have learned best. These days you are much more likely to share information or exchange ideas," Dumbledore said and then after a thoughtful pause added, "I believe it is safe to say I prefer it this way."

Harry smiled a bit and said,

"I think I do, too, sir."

"A pleasant evening to you, Professor Potter."

"And to you, too, Professor Dumbledore."

As Harry walked back down to the Great Hall, where he planned to have dinner before heading for home, he thought about what Dumbledore had said. It would be very impractical, if not impossible, to not use the prodigious talents that he had been gifted. And it would be as irresponsible not to use them as it would be to use them recklessly or with ill intent. Apparently his mentor felt that as long as Harry had concerns about what he was able to do, he would be less likely to misuse them. He supposed there was some comfort to be had in that thought.

He was also aware that for the first time he could recall, Dumbledore had called him Professor Potter. As he made his way to the head table he smiled a bit. As he climbed the steps to the dais he heard Bill call to him.

"Hello there, Harry. Everything settled from this morning?"

"I should think so, Bill. I didn't get any emergency messages and Milligan and Ron weren't about to leave the place unprotected. I imagine when I get home I'll find a fair share of the clan there as well."

"Oh, I can pretty much guarantee that. Fleur was getting the girls ready to leave as I was departing this morning. You'll probably have a much quieter dinner here tonight," Bill said with a chuckle before turning serious. "I'll have to drop in myself once I finish some research. We'll have to step up the protective spells a bit. Some of them won't be very nice."

"I suppose so," Harry said with a sigh. "I wonder if it would have been wiser to move some of those things to the vault at Gringotts?"

"They've had their issues, too, Harry."

He just nodded in response. While it might not have been quieter in the Great Hall than the dining room at Meadow Crest, it was at least normal. The buzz of multiple conversations punctuated by the occasional laugh had Harry feeling right at home and he was able to eat his dinner without to much preoccupation. He did notice that his three student collaborators, now seventh years kept casting glances in his direction and as the meal wound down he finally signaled them to come forward as the student body began to disperse. As they gathered around him at the foot of the steps he said with a smile,

"I suppose I can gather what's on your mind this evening?"

"Yes, sir," William Smithson replied. "We were wondering if you've decided about us getting a chance to see what you found in that cavern?"

"Yes, I think I have. It appears that it will be safe enough. I had thought to be done with it for the year but I do owe you a look. We'll plan for Saturday after next. Bright and early. Although I don't anticipate any issues it's always better to be safe so plan on packing in the event of being there all day with a little extra to spare. I'll check with you again next week, how's that."

"That will be great, sir," Smithson said, while the other two nodded eagerly.

"Good, off you go then, but Ms. Quonset, a moment of your time, please."

"Yes, sir," she replied as her two team mates moved away, their expressions quizzical.

Harry made sure they were out of ear shot before he continued.

"Ms. Quonset, as you may know, over the summer I had the opportunity to engage in an exchange with the Centaurs. It has been decided that our friend Morgotta, in her role as a Lore Master, is going to reciprocate and hold a similar session with a select group of Hogwarts students in the weeks ahead. I'd like you to be among that group."

"Really, sir? That's brilliant," she replied enthusiastically.

"I'm doing this for several reasons. One is that you've gained the trust and friendship of Morgotta and I believe that will help her with her task. She's not entirely comfortable with the idea of being around so many humans. The second is your relationship with her will make it possible for you to, I guess, prepare the rest of the group for what they are going to experience. I'll have you gather here in the Hall on Thursday evening and start that process. And lastly, with all your hard work last year on the project, I believe you deserve the opportunity."

"Thank you so much, sir. I'm very grateful. Only, what about Michael and William?"

"As hard as they worked, I'm afraid they've never really gotten past their initial reaction to Morgotta. It's one of the things we'll need to work on with the others," Harry said seriously.

"Oh," she replied, blushing a bit, "you mean what I said about the page three girl business?"

"Precisely."

Amanda smiled a bit and then said,

"I suppose in a way you can't blame them. She is rather striking in her own way."

"That she is. Well, that is all for now, Ms. Quonset. I'd ask that you give some thought to what we'll discuss with the others on Thursday. I'll be in touch."

"Yes, sir, and again, thank you, Professor."

With that settled Harry left the castle and made his way to the small house and the hearth that led home to Meadow Crest. When Dinkle let him in through the back door the house wasn't in an uproar but there was a fair amount of conversation going on. In the next few minutes he was able to learn that in addition to Fleur and the girls, Molly and Arthur Weasley had spent the day, as did Charlie. George and Angelina had come by at separate times for a few hours and Gabrielle had arrived not too long before Harry had gotten home. Angus was expected at any moment. Harry was also told that Ron would be dropping in to update him on what they had found out during the day.

Harry chose to wait until Ron arrived before he revealed what he had learned from Brumble the housekeeping elf and what Professor Dumbledore had suggested about house elves. In the conversation that filled the time until Ron arrived Harry had learned that Ginny had mobilized a support team for Lavender. Her pre-admission testing was scheduled for Thursday of that week and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had volunteered their services to get her to the hospital for the tests.

In fact, Lavender would be spending the night before at the Burrow and then Mr. Weasley would drive her to the hospital for the tests. At first Harry was surprised at these arrangements but when he thought about it he knew he shouldn't be. Whenever the DA got together at one of his parties, Mrs. Weasley, in particular, would always make an effort to greet them, make sure they were well fed and wish them well before they left. Harry figured that perhaps since they all meant so much to him, and that four of her children, not to mention he and Hermione, had been members, then it followed they meant something to her.

Ron finally arrived and everyone settled into the living room for the debriefing. Ron settled into a chair and appeared a bit uncomfortable at being the focus of everyone's attention but he began to tell what had been discovered up to that moment.

"Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot to tell you. Those are four very messed up house elves. Two of them haven't said a word since we took them in hand and only the one has offered anything understandable. Whoever that ring leader is, they only know him, or her for that matter, as 'the One'. There is no description, no location and no apparent motive other than stealing stuff that has something to do with magic. If someone could talk some sense it might be possible to look for a pattern but it's mostly just rambling. Even your two elves couldn't help get much of anything useable from them, Harry. We don't even know if they were like this before they met this 'one' or it's happened to them from doing the burglaries."

"How do you mean, Ron?" Charlie asked.

"Well, it was suggested that maybe from having to force their way into places they aren't supposed to be, the protective spells might be doing something to them over time."

"I wonder if Bill might know something about that? I'll ask him when I see him tomorrow," Harry said.

"We might have another source of information on the elves," Harry, Ron said.

"How so?"

"Goldstein went up to Magical Creatures this afternoon and asked around to see if anyone there had anything to offer and there was a rumor of a hint of a suggestion that there is some old witch living up north that supposedly might be an expert on house elves. Word is she went to Beuaxbaton but came to the UK right after the big war," Ron explained.

"I heard a whole lot of 'might be's in there, Ron. Does anyone think she really exists?" Harry asked, clearly skeptical.

"I know, mate, but it's at least something to look into. Anthony is on his way up there now to start poking around and see if he can track her down. I swear as much as you're a dragon, Goldstein is a bloodhound. He loves to get his nose down and sniff for clues," Ron said with a grin.

Harry simply nodded, then said,

"Well, I did some poking at Hogwarts and this is what I turned up."

Harry then explained what he had uncovered by talking to Brumble and Dumbledore. When he was done it was Ron's turn to nod.

"Well, that's something. I'll let Mr. Milligan know and they can start looking into that previous batch of troublemakers and see if it leads us anywhere."

They conversation went on for a bit more and then Harry thanked everyone for their concerns and assistance and suggested they should head for their own homes and get some rest. After the house emptied of guests the Potters fell to the mundane tasks of getting two youngsters to bed and then the three adults retired to the library. Ginny began making copious notes for the journal while Harry and Abagail sat at the chessboard. While the two played a more or less friendly game, as far as wizards chess can be friendly, Harry had an interesting thought. So when Abagail left for bed, Harry pulled down the book on chess strategies that Ron had given him some years early and began to read. As he did, he smiled a small smile.

The following days were calm. Bill assured Harry he was pulling together some serious protection for the house and he would arrive bright and early that Saturday to set everything up. On Thursday afternoon he gathered together the group of seventh years that were going to meet with Morgotta the next week for a meeting. There were more than would fit in his office, and he didn't consider the subject matter to be something he wanted discussed in an open room so he took them to the room behind the faculty table in the Great Hall.

"Alright, as I've told each of you, next week you will have the opportunity to be part of a rather unique event. A Centaur Lore Master has consented to discuss certain aspects of their history, experiences, and philosophies. This is part of an ongoing process that was started by Professor Dumbledore while he was Headmaster. To my knowledge only one of you has had any interaction with a Centaur. That would be Ms. Quonset. So I want to say a few things to you, Harry said," looking at each student who sat regarding him.

"This is not a simple field trip. This is very serious business. The Centaurs of the Dark Forest are breaking with centuries of tradition to make this happen. You will conduct yourselves with the appropriate respect and decorum this occasion requires. If anyone, in anyway, does anything to embarrass this institution, you will answer to me directly. I trust you understand that?"

He got nods from everyone.

"As you should be aware, Centaurs are a very proud people and put great store in courtesy and respect. When given the opportunity to ask a question or to respond to one, maintain eye contact and speak clearly and well. And one last thing for you gentlemen. This particular Lore Master is female, and a rather striking one at that. Whatever thoughts that may engender I strongly suggest you keep them well hidden. This is a very intelligent and perceptive individual and any hint of impropriety will be quite evident to her. Ms. Quonset can illustrate that point for you shortly. As I said, you are being offered a unique opportunity here, I trust you will use it well. Ms. Quonset, if you would, please."

Amanda Quonset nodded to Harry and then began to speak about her experiences with Morgotta and her suggestions on how to conduct themselves in her presence. One of the witches interrupted with a question about the honorific 'friend'.

"Is it common to use the word friend with the Centaurs?" she asked.

Amanda knew the answer but she looked to Harry.

"No, it is not," he began to explain. "It is something they take most seriously. Of the three students who were part of my research project, only Ms. Quonset is referred to as 'friend'. And by extension can refer to Morgotta as such. You have to wait until the Centaur confers that privilege on you. For you to initiate it would be considered a gross breech of decorum. Think of it as one of you referring to a professor by his or her first name."

The students went a little wide eyed at the last. Amanda continued with her suggestions and then finally said,

"Well, that's about it. I just wanted to say that to have the opportunity to get to know Morgotta even a little bit has been one of the highlights of my time at Hogwarts. I'm sure you're going to find this session to be quite fascinating."

"Thank you, Ms. Quonset," Harry said. "Alright. Weather permitting we'll be holding this session near Hagrid's hut. I'll meet you all in the foyer, directly after lunch on Thursday, next week and we'll walk down together. That's it for tonight, so off you go."

Harry was a bit slower than the students in leaving the Room of Requirements so he didn't see them walking down the corridor, Amanda in the center of a cluster of hushed conversation with a few looks being cast back at the still open Room door.

The end of the school week flowed into the weekend and bright and early on Saturday morning Bill appeared as promised with his old work bag, a small volume bound in tattered black leather and his wand. Harry met him in some old work clothes and with his ironwood wand in hand, walked with his older brother out to the edges of the property to begin setting up the new magical wards. It was well after noon before they returned to the house, looking tired but grimly satisfied. Sitting at the kitchen table working on a late lunch the two wizards discussed what they had accomplished.

"Well, Harry, if anyone manages to get through that gauntlet I wouldn't want to be around to face him," Bill said with a small smile.

"I appreciate all the effort, Bill. Some of those spells were pretty complicated pieces of magic," Harry replied.

"No worries, Harry. I'm glad to be of help to you and little sister. Plus it's been a very interesting exercise in applied magic, as you like to call it."

Harry laughed and said,

"Spoken like a true professor."

As Bill and Harry were finishing up, Ginny hurried into the kitchen holding a small piece of parchment.

"Harry, this message just arrived from Lavender. The surgery will be two weeks from Tuesday. Mum and Dad will be taking her to the hospital again. She asked if you could meet them there Monday afternoon when she checks in."

"Of course I will," Harry said.

"Good, I'll let her know."

The rest of the weekend passed fairly quietly. Bill left for home shortly after lunch and Harry spent the rest of the afternoon reviewing the chess manual. In the hour or so before dinner Abagail appeared with both boys in tow and asked Harry if he wouldn't mind introducing his sons to the chess board. She had mentioned the game in passing and the boys wanted to know more about it.

"Alright, well why don't you and I play a game and they can watch," Harry said.

Harry and Abagail put the boys in the observer chairs and took their places, Harry playing black, Abagail white. On cue the pieces came alive and the black king hailed Harry in usual style.

"Hail, Sir Harry. We stand ready to do battle on your behalf."

James started to laugh and Albus sat, staring wide eyed at the board. At the sound of James laughter the black king looked over to regard the youngster.

"Desist in this frivolous attitude, young squire. Tis serious business we're about. Curb thy unseemly behavior at once," the king admonished.

James was startled and looked to his father, his eyes wide and questioning.

"That's the King, young fellow, and he just wants you to be quiet and concentrate on the game, alright?" Harry explained softly.

"Alright, Da," James replied just as softly.

Harry looked at Abagail with raised eyebrows, trying to suppress a smile and then nodded for her to begin. Once the pieces began to move in response to the players commands, the boys watched fascinated. James began to shout when the first ritual combat took place but then he clamped both hands over his mouth. Albus on the other hand leaned forward as much as the chair would permit and never uttered a sound. The game didn't last too long and when Harry said 'check mate' as the white king fell, Abagail sat back and said,

"Wow, Harry. You haven't beaten that fast in a long time. My game must be really off."

"Oh, you mean I can't be getting better?" Harry teased.

"Um, well, I guess that could be it."

"Actually, you left me an opening that I couldn't pass up. Maybe the boys were distracting you," Harry deadpanned.

Abagail gave Harry a 'look' but didn't get the chance to respond as Nibs popped his head in the doorway and called them to dinner. As they were getting the boys out of the chairs Harry asked,

"So what did you think?"

"I liked the way they fought, Da," James replied.

Albus simply looked at his father, his expression thoughtful, and nodded. Abagail swept the younger boy up and James dashed ahead once he was on his feet. During dinner Ginny asked what they had been up to in the library and after Harry explained Abagail said,

"I dunno, Ginny, I think Ron and Angus better watch their tail feathers. Harry's game seems to have improved more than a little bit."

When Ginny looked at her husband with a questioning glance, Harry just smiled a bit in return but made no comment. The pleasant weekend did not translate to a pleasant beginning of the week however. But it took until lunch for Harry's week to go bad. When he arrived at the faculty table Bill was already seated and he was obviously not very happy. When Harry sat down he looked at his brother and asked,

"What's wrong, Bill?"

"Be patient for a minute, Harry, and you'll see," Bill replied.

Harry was a little surprised at the way Bill deflected the question but he decided not to press so he sat back and waited. The students had been filing in before Harry had gotten there so it only took a few more minutes for the Hall to be filled with the usual noise of a Hogwarts meal. Bill then nudged Harry's arm and pointed to the junior end of the Gryffindor table. As Harry looked it only took a moment to notice the bruises on Ted Lupin's face. Harry groaned.

"Oh, no. What kind of a fall did he take this time?"

"Those aren't from a fall, Harry. Take a look at the Slytherin table," Bill suggested somberly.

Harry shifted his gaze to the other side of the Hall and saw three first years looking decidedly worse for wear. All three were boys and the first had the start of a what should be a stunning black eye. The second had a bit of cotton protruding from one nostril and his nose was red and swollen. The last boy had several emerging bruises on his cheeks and what looked like a split lip. Harry's head swung ominously back toward Ted and the boy looked down a the table top.

"What in Merlin's name happened? And three to one?"

"I will let Ted give you the particulars but it looks like some of the old ideas are reemerging and Gryffindor vs. Slytherin could backslide to the old days. Both Professor Slughorn and I will be having serious discussions with our full houses tonight," Bill said ominously.

Harry's face was like a thundercloud. As his eyes flicked back and forth from the junior end of one protagonists table to the other everyone avoided his glare.

"You do that, Bill. And when I have them for Transfiguration tomorrow, I'll have a few things of my own to say. As for now, I think young Ted and I have something to discuss. Excuse me."

As Harry stood up, the entire Hall went quiet. His movements were steady as he walked around the table and down the steps but his face spoke volumes. As he approached the Gryffindors he thought he heard a snicker from the Slytherin table but as he looked back over his shoulder he saw only bowed heads. When he got to Ted's spot he said quietly,

"Mr. Lupin, in the corridor with me, now, if you please."

With a deep sigh the boy rose from the bench and followed his godfather from the Hall. Every eye at every table followed them out. Harry walked straight to the small classroom that was nearby and waved Ted in ahead of him. He pointed to a chair for Ted to sit in and then he leaned against the edge of the desk and said,

"Explain."

To Ted's ever lasting credit he looked straight into Harry's bright green eyes, swallowed once and began.

"I'm sorry, sir, Harry. I thought I had things under control. You know, being so close to mum and dad and all. But then those idiots from Slytherin started with their comments about maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if Voldemort had won and what a mess you and the Ministry had made of everything. I ignored it but over the weekend it started getting really bad. I heard one of them make a remark about the memorial park being a waste of good space but when I looked I couldn't figure out who made it. Then when we were changing classes this morning, one of those three made a crack about digging up the bodies from the park and tossing them into the lake for the giant squid, the boy said," choking back a sob. "Everything just sort of went red, Harry, and I started swinging. I guess they didn't expect it or at least for it to be fists instead of wands. Two of them were down before they could react and then a few minutes later Professor Weasley came along and broke it up. We came down from Madame Pomfrey just a little before lunch."

Harry looked down at his godson, outwardly unmoved but inside his emotions were boiling. He could see the pain in young Ted's eyes, but also a fierce determination. He was also appalled at the callousness that the Slytherins had displayed, if indeed this is what they had said. He'd have to try and verify it. With his own deep sigh he folded his arms across his chest and said,

"Ted, I hope you realize how serious this is. Regardless of provocation, fighting is strictly prohibited. I know you know that. I also know that if what you say is true and I were in your shoes I doubt I would have reacted any differently. But that doesn't mean that I can condone your reaction."

"It is true, Harry. I know other people heard what they've been saying. Just ask."

"Oh, you can be assured that I will be asking. But that doesn't change things, Ted. So I'm telling you here and now. You are never, ever, to throw the first punch again. If you need to defend yourself that's another matter, but you don't start it? Do you understand me?" Harry asked firmly.

Ted held Harry's gaze for a moment and then said,

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"Fine. Professors Weasley and Slughorn will be dealing with whatever punishments they deem appropriate but I will be keeping my eye on all of you. Now, if you still have an appetite, lets go in and finish lunch."

"Yes, sir," Ted replied in a subdued voice.

Harry let Ted take the lead and as he watched the boys back he had to wonder what sort of career he had ahead of him at Hogwarts. He wondered if he should ask his own father for any possible insights. When they reentered the Hall the conversation dropped off but didn't die out completely but the junior end of the Slytherin table went deathly silent as Harry directed his green eyed glare at them as he remounted the dais. When he took his seat he leaned toward Bill.

"Ted told me his story. Has anyone been able to verify what was said before the fists started flying?"

"Somewhat, Harry," Bill replied. "Several Gryffindors and one older Slytherin came forward and told me that some of the first years Slytherins have been stirring up trouble and trying to remind the students of the old days. I've asked Professors Sprout and Flitwick to check with their houses to see if anyone there has heard similar things. How did Ted take it?"

"He told me what happened. Admitted he was the first to throw a punch, or several. Said he couldn't stop himself. If half of what he told me was actually said, I couldn't imagine how he could have," Harry replied.

"So I've been led to believe. Well, we'll get into it tonight when I talk to all of my house," Bill concluded.

Harry just nodded. Fortunately for him he was staying at the school that night and wouldn't have to face the storm that this incident was going to cause at the Potter house when it was revealed. It also allowed him the opportunity to confirm just what had precipitated the brawl and it turned out to be pretty much as Ted had described, although there were apparently strenuous protests that it was all said in jest. Nobody got the joke.

So it was that Harry stood in front of his class of first year Gryffindors and Slytherins, with none of the amiable, loveable teacher that they were used to seeing. He looked a lot more like that portrait that Abagail had provided that Christmas. He let his gaze sweep around the room, noticing the four battered combatants sitting as far away from each other as the room would permit.

"I'm sure we are all aware of what occurred yesterday," he began. "I know that for the individuals directly involved, they have already faced the consequences of their actions, so let me take a moment to address the wider issue. For what ever reason, in what ever spirit the comments that were made were offered, there is no way that that attitude will be allowed to continue within this school. Myself and the other faculty had hoped that we had gotten passed this nonsense but it appears we were mistaken. But don't any of you make the mistake to think that this sort of thing will be overlooked. Nor will any form of reaction. Both sides in this incident were wrong and I will tell you here and now that it will not be tolerated, by me or any other member of the faculty. Any further behavior of this kind will result in the perpetrators careers here to be extremely short or extremely unpleasant. Or both. I trust I won't have to revisit this topic again, because if I do I can guarantee that the person responsible will surely regret it. Now, take out your workbooks and complete the next two sections. Quietly."

Harry waited until all the students had their heads bent over their work before taking his place behind his desk. The only sound in the room was that of quills scratching across parchment. Harry was right about what sort of reaction he would face when he told the story that night when he got home. Ginny went up in flames, all but ready to launch an assault on the Slytherins, demand the names of the miscreants be published in the Daily Prophet, and their families hounded from the country. Despite his own anger Harry had to spend a fair amount of energy getting Ginny calmed down to the point that she dropped onto her favorite couch arms and legs crossed, mumbling darkly about blind fools and bloody idiots.

Abagail's reaction was muted but it was obvious that she was deeply trouble over the anguish that Ted must have felt. She and the boy had grown very close over the years and she was fully aware of how desperately the boy missed the parents he never knew. She had left the room well before Ginny had quieted and was already composing a message to the boy offering what support she could.

The following morning when Harry reported to his classroom he found a message from Ronin, delivered through Hagrid, to meet him, if he could, that afternoon right after classes concluded, by Hagrid's hut. Harry could only wonder what this was going to be about. As the day wore on, it was obvious that word of Harry's position regarding the fight had spread through the entire student body. All of his classes were uncommonly quiet, his students on their best behavior, and any time he appeared in a crowded hallway, the noise level dropped to just the sound of shoes on stone.

He was actually happy by the time classes ended to be heading out of the castle and into the slightly warm, early fall air. As he approached Hagrid's hut, Harry could see his big friend standing at the edge of the trail talking to someone obscured by the foliage. Norbie trotted up and Harry absently rubbed the big dog's head as he continued walking. Hagrid turned and said,

"Hullo, Harry," as the dark eyes regarded him.

"Hello, Hagrid, thanks for the message. Hail and well met, Friend Ronin."

"Well met, Friend Harry Potter. Friend Hagrid has just been informing me of the discord within the school."

Harry sighed and then said,

"I'm afraid so. It seems no matter how stupid, some ideas just refuse to die."

"Ever has it been so, Friend Harry Potter, even amongst the Centaurs. And it is about just such an idea I wished to speak with you," Ronin said seriously.

"What's wrong?"

"The discourse that will take place between Morgotta and your students has met with some dissatisfaction within the herd."

Harry blew out a sharp breath and held his hands out wide.

"I thought we had that all settled," he said with some heat.

"Peace, Serpent King. What was settled was the notion that you presented a threat to dominate the herd for your own purposes. There are still those who harbor much distrust of humankind and feel any closer bond to be a danger to the herd."

"Has the elder reconsidered?"

"No. He is steadfast in his determination that this meeting must occur," Ronin replied.

"How is Morgotta handling it?"

"She continues with her preparation but she remains troubled. She has spoken little openly other than to ask those of us with more experience with you and your kind some questions. My reason for wishing to speak with you was to inform you of the issue and her reaction to it. I would ask on behalf of myself and the elder that you instruct your students to listen carefully and not to try to probe to deeply past what Morgotta is willing to reveal, at least for this first meeting. What may follow, who is to know, but for now, the depth of what is revealed has been at the heart of the argument amongst us, Ronin concluded. I know in your discussion with the elder several days ago he had expressed great hope for this beginning, but it is a hope fraught with much peril."

Harry toke a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding as he did so.

"I understand, Friend Ronin, and forgive my reaction, but this has not been a good week. I have already provided some guidance to my students and I will add what you have asked. They will be most attentive and respectful of whatever limits Morgotta may set."

"Thank you, Friend Harry Potter. Your understanding is greatly appreciated. I will leave you now."

"Until next time, Friend Ronin."

"Until next time, Serpent King."

Harry and Hagrid watched as the Centaur faded back into the shadows of the forest. Hagrid looked down at Harry and asked,

"Fancy a cuppa, Harry?"

"Thank you, Hagrid, but maybe another time," Harry replied with a tight smile.

"Aye, Harry, I unnerstan'. The kettle'll be hot and full when yer ready."

With another small smile Harry turned and began walking back to the castle while Hagrid called Norbie and then went into the hut. Harry had walked perhaps twenty paces when a low but decidedly female voice called to him from the trees.

"Serpent King?"

"What? Who's that? Morgotta, is that you?" Harry asked, trying to see into the trees.

"It is, Serpent King. Could you spare me a moment of your time?"

"Of course," Harry replied as he stepped in just under the branches of the nearest trees.

The Centaur Lore Master stepped from the shadows and stood before Harry. While appearing outwardly calm her eyes were tired and troubled. She was attired somewhat differently than in previous times, the jacket she wore was somewhat looser with long sleeves. She held her hands clasped before her. Harry regarded her quietly, his expression inviting her to open the discussion.

"I had heard that Ronin had requested the opportunity to talk to you so I came to this place in the hopes of doing likewise. I know you are aware of the dissension within the herd over what we plan."

"Yes, I am and I can see that it troubles you."

The Centaur made a slightly dismissive gesture with one hand at Harry's comment.

"The grumbling rancor of a few, or more than a few, who lack understanding is not what troubles me, Serpent King. My increasing unease has at it's source the realization of my own shortcomings and potential unworthiness for the task the elder, and you, have laid upon me," she said.

"What can you possibly mean, Friend Morgotta? You are a being of inestimable worth. Your knowledge and willingness to share it is far from a shortcoming," Harry said incredulously.

Morgotta shook her head.

"You are generous in your praise and friendship, as always, Serpent King, but in this I must disagree. Before you came among us I was convinced of the unequivocal superiority of our kind and the base treachery of the humans. Even your mentor, Dumbledore appeared to me as another conniving wizard seeking to entangle us in the depraved affairs of your people. Even your first interaction with us resulted in the eventual expulsion of a rare Centaur," she explained, looking everywhere but at Harry. "Then came that fateful day for us all. I was among those that stood concealed in the shadows and watched as you walked into the camp of the accursed one and offered yourself as sacrifice. We were stunned for none of the herd would ever have thought of a human willing to give all for the sake of others in such a way. I also watched as those few who chose to break with tradition join in the final, fateful battle. I began to wonder."

As she spoke, Morgotta shifted from hoof to hoof, and her hands began to gently wring each other as if trying to wash something away. Her eyes were now firmly fixed on the ground between them.

"I began to listen as I could to the discussion between the elders, the older Centaurs and the pair, Ronin and Bane, as they discussed your growing power and wisdom. My position as a Lore Master permitted me to be part of these discussions but I did far more listening than talking. I allowed myself to reason your actions away as those of a exceedingly rare example of your kind and not a cause to reconsider my beliefs. But then came the day when I met the students who were part of your project. The boys I dismissed as silly young males, but not all that unlike our own, with eyes and thoughts far too familiar. But young Friend Amanda Quonset was a revelation. As we spoke I found she had many questions similar to my own at that age and older. She also displayed a respect for me as a fellow being and that I found extraordinary. Then there were the members of your family and I began to question my assumption, and those questions led to others and I began to look around me and found much that I had come to equate with base human behavior present in some of my own kind. I began to wonder just how superior were we. How blinded and na ve I had been. And whether or not I am worthy to represent the herd to your students."

As Morgotta fell silent Harry stood regarding her. Her head bowed under the weight of her self examination, and recrimination.

"Friend Morgotta, please look at me," he said quietly.

The Centaur slowly raised her head, the long hair of her mane flowing over both shoulders, her eyes fixing on his. Harry reached out with both hands to take hold of hers and he smiled a little.

"After listening to what you've just said, I can't think of anyone, Centaur, human or whatever, that I would rather have talking to my students. Your honesty, your hard won wisdom and your concern will have far more impact than some cold, aloof confirmation of everything they've ever heard about your people. They will be able to relate to you in ways you can't imagine," he said with a smile. "You are by far a worthy companion and partner in what we are trying to accomplish here. And I would consider it a great privilege and honor, if you would never refer to me as the Serpent King again, and only as your friend."

Morgotta stood as if rooted to the floor of the forest. Harry could feel her grip tighten on his hands and then ease a bit. A faint flicker of a smile crossed her lips. With a brief nod she said,

"That is a request that I would gladly grant, Friend Harry Potter. Your words, and the feelings behind them, have done much to set my mind, and heart, at ease. Gladly will I meet with your students and trust in the hope that they reflect some of the virtues of their instructor."

With a final squeeze she released her hold on Harry's hands and he allowed hers to drop away. She began to turn back into the forest but stopped and looked back at him.

"If I may make a request of a friend?"

"Certainly."

"It has occurred to me that I have not made the acquaintance of your mate. I would consider it a great honor to be able to know the one who has so captivated so great a heart," she said quietly.

"Um," Harry began, knowing how Ginny might react to Morgotta, based on prior experience. "I will convey your request and let you know when I bring the students for your meeting."

"Thank you, Friend Harry Potter. Fare thee well."

"Fare thee well, Friend Morgotta."

As Harry watched the Centaur quickly fade into the shadows he reached up to scratch his unruly hair and mutter,

"Oh, dear."


	66. Chapter 66

Professor Potter, Chapter 66

"Alright, everyone. Remember what I've been saying. Honesty and courtesy are two pillars of Centaur society," Harry said to his select group of seventh years in the foyer of the castle. "Ms. Quonset, if you would, lead the way."

"Yes, sir," she replied and then turned to lead the small group out into the crisp autumn air, warmed slightly with brilliant sunshine.

Harry brought up the rear so he could watch the students as they made their way down to Hagrid's hut. As they passed by the front door, snuffling could be heard under the door but Norby didn't bark. Just beyond the small stone house stood Morgotta and Hagrid, quietly conversing. As the group neared, Hagrid nodded to the Centaur and then walked toward the students, who offered some quietly spoken 'Afternoon, Professor.'

"Good afternoon, ta yas. Say, Harry, I was just havin' a word with Morgotta. I'm off ta me own class now. I'll be interested ta hear how it all goes."

"So will I, Hagrid. I'll let you know if anything interesting comes of it," Harry replied.

As Harry approached he could see that Morgotta and Amanda Quonset had already exchanged greetings and the young witch was introducing her classmates to the Centaur Lore Master. He waited at the rear of the group until the last student was introduced. Then Amanda looked to Harry and said,

"And of course, you already know the Professor."

"Indeed I do," Morgotta replied, "and it is good to see you once again, Friend Harry Potter."

"As it is for me as well, Friend Morgotta," Harry said as he approached and they exchanged the two handed greeting that had become the norm for them.

Harry couldn't help but notice that Morgotta was wearing a jacket that more closely resembled the upper part of a scholar's robe than her usual tight fitted top. He wondered what it implied but he wasn't about to broach the subject at the moment.

"I cannot fully express my appreciation for your efforts, Friend Morgotta. I know that my students, and now yours, will have much to gain from what they are about to hear."

"It is I that should speak of appreciation for the opportunity, Friend Harry Potter. I have come to understand that the role of a Lore Master should be more than just a cataloger of knowledge. It should be to seek out such knowledge and to share it, to use it to create greater understanding. Today should prove to be an excellent start on that journey."

Harry couldn't help but smile and he replied,

"It is a journey that I hope we will share together and that it is a long and fruitful one. Now, I will leave you to the task at hand. Ms. Quonset can supply me with the details afterward."

"You will not be observing?" Morgotta asked.

"No, I gave my students some advice on how one should conduct themselves with Centaurs and a few have taken classes with Friend Firenze but I would not wish to inhibit their participation so it is best I go."

Morgotta nodded and said, "Perhaps that is the path of wisdom. I would ask, therefore, if we could meet tomorrow after your classes are complete so that we may discuss today and what ever path forward seems prudent."

"I would be happy, too. Fare thee well, Friend Morgotta," Harry replied.

"Fare thee well, Friend Harry Potter," Morgotta said as they again clasped hands.

She watched as Harry turned and walked back up the path to the castle and then turned to the students, hers for as long as the session lasted.

"Shall we begin by making ourselves comfortable?" she suggested and as the students settled into the short grass, the Centaur folded her legs beneath her which still left her at a commanding height above the students.

"Would anyone wish to ask a question before we start?"

Heads turned as the young witches and wizards regarded each other until one wizard raised a hand and said, "Um, well, ma'am, er, Morgotta," he paused and blew out a breath and then resumed speaking.

"It's just that for all our time in school, here or elsewhere, we've always had to refer to teachers as Professor, or Mister or Missus, or whatever and calling you by just your name seems, well, disrespectful. I know what Professor Potter said about it, but it's just..." he trailed off.

Morgotta's normally stern visage softened a touch with just the hint of a smile at the young wizard's confusion. She looked at the other students and saw a few similar expressions. She looked back down at the young wizard and said, "I understand your confusion and frustration, young human. On the other hand you must understand that the ways of humans are not the ways of Centaurs. Where humans find much to associate with a name or a title, respect, honor, glory, we Centaurs regard a name simply as a way to identify one member of the herd from another, a convenience. But if it will ease your mind and facilitate learning, you may refer to me as Lore Master."

"Thank you, Lore Master," the young wizard said with some relief.

"Excellent. Now, let us begin." Morgotta began with a much shorter, much more basic version of the story that Harry had been treated too previously. Her emphasis seemed to be on the difficulties in the past with humans, both wizard and muggles, and the changes that these issues dictated to the Centaur way of life. She solicited comments from the young magic users, apparently seeking to clarify misconceptions and debunk the worst of the misinformation. After several such exchanges she said,

"I would have you understand that it is not just humans who have had false ideas about the Centaurs. I have come to learn in this last cycle of the seasons that Centaurs are just as capable of developing false impressions of humans. I had many closely held beliefs about the negative aspects of human nature and that these traits held true for all members of your race. Your Professor Potter was an example contrary to those beliefs but I found it easy enough to reason him away as a rare exception. But then I met Friend Amanda Quonset and we had some very enlightening discussions. This was followed by my exposure to some of the red headed humans who were members of Friend Harry Potter's family. I could no longer view so many as exceptions and perhaps it was time to reexamine my views."

"Friend Morgotta," Amanda began. "I recall our discussions very well and I don't recall them being all that exceptional, beyond who I was having them with. It was mostly about my friends and family and the things we did and you talking a bit about what you did as a Lore Master."

This time the Centaur's smile was a bit more pronounced as she looked at her young friend and said, "Enlightenment can come in many forms, Friend Amanda Quonset. What you would describe as mundane matters of family and friends was to me a window on a world I had only seen through what others chose to tell. I heard about activities, hopes and disappointments not unlike those that I would have encountered when I was young. And in return you listened to my tales with genuine interest and an obvious desire to learn and understand about me and my herd. Those unexceptional conversations as you called them were a first glimpse at a much larger world that I have only just begun to explore, and I will treasure them always."

The session continued on for a while longer and the sun had traveled far in the sky before Morgotta brought it to a close. From her reclining position she regarded the students who sat before her. When her gaze met Amanda's she smiled a bit again.

"I have found our time together both enjoyable and worthwhile. I hope you have as well. I will discuss with your Professor Potter what the future might hold. What the greater future might be for Centaurs and humans I cannot say, but I do have hope that it will be different and better. Until next time, should that come to pass, I bid thee fare well."

Morgotta rose to her full height as the students stood up and Amanda stepped forward to thank her for her time, knowledge and patience. As they clasped their right hands, the young witch said,

"I hope that regardless of what comes of these sessions, that I will have the opportunity to visit you here in the forest."

"Now that, Friend Amanda Quonset, is a piece of the future that I can see, and yes, you are welcome to visit me here. Simply send word through Friend Hagrid."

"Thank you, Friend Morgotta. Fare thee well."

"Fare thee well, Friend Amanda Quonset."

The following afternoon, armed with the report Amanda had made about the previous day's sessions, Harry met with Morgotta by Hagrid's hut. Harry was sitting on the bench in front of the hut while Morgotta reclined on the grass.

"From what I could gather from Ms. Quonset, things seemed to go fairly well yesterday," Harry said. "I believe that is correct, Friend Harry Potter. Your students were most attentive, asked questions that indicated true interest and were most courteous. In fact, they were quite intent on finding a way to show respect for me as their teacher. Calling me by my name alone was quite upsetting to several of them."

Harry had to laugh a bit and replied, "I suppose in a way that was my fault. I was pretty adamant about them being on their best behavior. Some of our students can be quite a handful at times."

Morgotta nodded once and said, "I would like to meet some of these 'handfulls' as you call them. It would be of great value, I believe, in developing a more complete picture of humans. Would I be correct in thinking from what you have revealed to the herd that you yourself was such a one at times?"

Harry laughed a bit more at this comment and said, "In all honesty, I've had my moments, yes. I'll see what I can do about coming up with a more representative group for the next time. I assume therefore that you are interested in doing this again?" Harry asked.

"The Elder wishes it so. And I must say, so do I. There is much to be learned from this effort and that is who I am, after all," she replied thoughtfully.

"I'm happy to hear that. Although with the weather turning colder we might have to wait a while for the next time. I don't imagine you would find being inside the castle to your liking."

"That would be true, Friend Harry Potter. Perhaps Friend Hagrid could arrange some form of temporary shelter here by his home. I will give this some thought," she replied.

Harry nodded and then she continued.

"I was curious if you have had the opportunity to arrange for me to make the acquaintance of your mate?"

Harry's face flushed a bit and he coughed to cover his embarrassment.

"Um, not yet, Friend Morgotta."

"Is something amiss, Friend Harry Potter? Your reaction indicates some distress if I read your expression properly. Does your mate think poorly of the idea?"

"No, not exactly. You see I have not asked her yet."

"I see. I can certainly understand that you have many demands on your time and this may not be a matter of priority," the Centaur said, her face set but her voice carrying a hint of disappointment.

"Actually, that's not the reason. You see, my mate, Ginny, can be, well, difficult where other females are concerned," Harry said, coughing again.

Morgotta regarded Harry for a moment or two, her expressive eyes questioning and then they widen a bit.

"Would you have me believe that the mate of the Serpent King would be jealous of me?"

Harry gave one of his now rarely used shrugs and then proceeded to explain by using the incident with Angelina's assistant and Felena, the Centaur who took care of his broom after that night he defeated the mutant dragon.

"So you see, these kinds of situations can cause her to react in that way. And as you know from the two young wizards that were part of my team, that part of a Centaur that resembles a human can hold an attraction," Harry said, his discomfort becoming more evident.

He was a bit startled to hear the soft neighing chuckle that he had once heard from the Elder, although this was a bit higher pitched. The look she gave Harry was a mix of sympathy and amusement.

"My apologies, Friend Harry Potter, for I do not mean to make light of your predicament. Friend Amanda Quonset had spoken of such during one of our earliest conversations to explain the behaviors of her classmates. While the resemblance you speak of is undeniable, that it could spark such attraction is something that I find hard to credit. Perhaps it is my own inexperience with humans, but there is nothing about the males of your race that I find physically attractive in any way. You are my friend and colleague because of your strength of mind and spirit and your willingness to look beyond your own kind for the worth in others," she said, her face becoming more serious as she spoke but then shifting back to a more wry amusement. "In all honesty, as you say, you do not present all that imposing a figure if one were to simply look to the physical."

Harry winced a bit, but smiled none the less. "The legendary honesty of the Centaurs has a sharp edge at times, but your words are appreciated. I will relay your request to my mate this evening and see what arrangements may be made."

"Thank you for that, Friend Harry Potter, and I will give some thought to how we might accommodate further sessions, sooner than later," she said, raising to her feet.

Harry stood up and offered his hands, which were accepted in the two handed clasp.

He looked up at the Centaur and said, "Fare thee well, my friend.

"Fare thee well, Friend Harry Potter."

But before he released his grip he gave her that half smile of his and tilted his head a bit and said,

"But, in all honesty," emphasizing the phrase, "the boys aren't wrong."

His smile widened as he gave a squeeze with both hands and then released his grip and with a final wave turned and began the walk back to the castle, leaving a slightly started Lore Master in his wake. As he walked back up the well beaten track he couldn't help but laugh a bit as he thought how he had gotten the last word in. A wizard has his pride, after all.

He was walking by the castle thinking about how he would approach Ginny when he was suddenly yanked sideways and thrown to the ground some feet from where he was walking. His impact with the ground was overshadowed by the sound and feel of something large hitting the packed ground of the path where he had just been. As he rolled over and sat up he could see a large piece of stonework that should have been part of the upper floor of the castle partially imbedded in the ground.

What the bloody hell..." he began to say out loud.

"One should be constantly aware of his surroundings," his dry inner voice offered.

"You did this?"

"Yes, be glad that a part of you is not lost inside his own head so much. You would be a far less imposing figure if you were under all that."

"Thank you."

"Self preservation needs no thanks," the dry voice replied.

Harry got to his feet and walked over to examine the large chunk of stone that had just missed him. It looked to weigh more than a few hundred pounds. He looked up to try and see where it came from but in the failing sunlight, the upper reaches of the building were lost in shadow. He wondered if it was something that had been damaged in the last battle and had only now finally come loose, or perhaps a repair that hadn't taken hold properly. He went in search of Stan Shunpike to begin looking for the answers.

In less than half an hour a small group had gathered around the fallen masonry block. Along with Harry were Stan, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall as well as Professor Flitwick. The tiny Charms teacher said,

"I know that I helped move nearly all of the stone work that had been blasted free during the last battle, Harry, but I don't recall any of it being this far from the front door."

"The Professor is right, Harry. Nothin' was on the ground this close ta me hut," Hagrid added.

"Alright, so that means it wasn't a repair gone bad, but it still could have been damage from the attack. Something at the far edge of a blasting curse," Harry replied.

"It's possible, Professor," Stan said. "The mornin' sun'll show me where it came from and I'll get up there'n look about. Make sure nuthin' else is goin' to come down. We'll need to block this part of the path until I knows fer certain."

"A wise decision, Stanley," Professor McGonagall said. "Please let me know as soon as you determine the cause of this," she gestured with her hand, "as well as the need for further repairs."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And Professor Potter," she continued, "I hope your luck continues to hold. This was a very near thing."

"Yes, ma'am, I hope so, too. I think I should be heading home, if I'm not needed here."

"Off you go, Harry, and keep your eyes and ears open," the Headmistress said.

"Yes, ma'am."

Within a quarter of an hour Harry was home having dinner with his family. The topic of the fallen stone work was left for another time. Harry was getting a run down on the days activities from his boys, well, mostly from James. Albus, as usual was listening, his face serious, offering only an occasional comment if prompted by his father.

"Da, how come the chessmen won't talk to us?" James asked at one point.

"Well, son, you have to be playing the game for that to happen. Were you sitting in the right chairs?"

"Um, no, Da, we were just standing by the table calling to them," James replied. "Oh, I'm afraid that won't work. And quite frankly, I'd prefer you'd not play with those pieces until you're older. They can be rather unpleasant with someone who doesn't play all that well. Maybe we should think about getting you and Albus a set that's more suited to your ages."

"Wow, really, Da?" James said, while Albus smiled a bit. Later that evening after the boys were put to bed and Abagail had left for a date with Angus, Harry and Ginny were sitting in the library, Harry in his chair and Ginny tucked up on the couch opposite him, a book across her lap.

"What's that you're reading, luv?" Harry asked.

"Oh, it's an old romantic novel that Fleur lent to me. It's interesting but a little heavy reading. You know, thee and thou and whatfore my love."

"Oh, yeah, I know what you mean. Some of these older books on magic are hard to wade through with all that," Harry said, and then he closed his own book on his lap.

"While I have your attention, I need to talk to you about something."

"What's that, sweetheart?" "Well, you're familiar with the Centaur Lore Master, Morgotta, right?"

"Of course. You and Abagail have mentioned her a number of times and El was telling me a bit about a discussion she had with her that one time," Ginny replied.

"Alright, good, it's just that she asked me to pass on a request to you about meeting," Harry said.

"She want's to meet me? Whatever for?" Ginny asked in genuine surprise.

"For a couple of reasons I guess. One is that she wants to meet more humans. She's trying to work her way around some long held beliefs she had about us. She's met Bill and Charlie and El as well as some of the students. She also said that she would very much like to meet the one who had captured my heart," he said, looking at her closely.

"Hmm, that's an odd way of putting it."

"I know, I thought so, too. But then when I thought about it for a while I figured that with the way the Centaurs think about me, the fact that you have captured my heart as it were, you must be pretty special yourself," Harry explained.

"Why, thank you, sweetheart, that was very nice of you to say," she smiled and then frowned a bit. "You said you thought about it for a while. Didn't she just ask you today?"

"Um, no, actually, she asked last week."

"Last week? Why did you wait so long to ask me. Are you getting to be an absent minded professor?" she teased.

"No, actually, I wasn't sure how to approach this. I was thinking about that time when we met the young female Centaur that had cared for my broom."

Ginny's eyes narrowed a bit as she regarded her husband.

"We aren't talking about the same kind of giddy hero worship, are we?"

"Oh, no. Morgotta is a very serious minded adult. Um, it's just that, well.."

"Well, what? Out with it."

"It's just that the part of her that resembles a human is very striking by our standards," Harry replied. "And after some of the things that have happened, like that shop assistant of Angelina's and then the Centaur Felena..." he tailed off with a shrug.

"Hmmm, well, I would like to think I've grown up a bit since then," Ginny replied, "so I'll agree to meet with this Morgotta and see how it goes."

"Okay, do you want me to make the arrangements?" Harry asked.

"No, that's alright. I'll send an owl to Hagrid and see what he can arrange."

Harry just nodded. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Ginny's attitude. Could it be that he was making too much of the situation or was it something else. With a mental shrug he decided he had more than enough to be concerned with. In particular, why did a large block of masonry just happen to fall right where he would have been standing had he not gotten out of the way. He would go looking for Stan as soon as he could the following day.

His sleep that night was uninterrupted but full of dreams that had him patrolling the perimeter of Meadow Crest and Hogwarts both from the air as well as on the ground, but always in the form of the great dragon. When he woke up the following morning he was feeling a bit tired, as if he had physically done all the activity he dreamed. He thoroughly destroyed the breakfast that Nibs put before him and needed a third cuppa before he was fully awake. He made it to Hogwarts just prior to the start of his first class so he was going to have to wait until lunch to look for Stan. He did notice as he entered the grounds that a small group of wizards and witches were flying slowly around the upper reaches of the castle, apparently conducting an inspection of the stonework. When he was able to track down Stan he didn't learn much.

"I'm 'fraid there ain't much to tell ya yet, Professor. I did a quick look this morning from where that chunk broke off and there was plenty of cracking around it and what looked like a repair of damage from the battle nearby. 'ave to say that some sorta spell 'it not too far from that chunk," Stan finished.

"So, you're saying it was just a coincidence," Harry said.

"No, sir. I'm sayin' it coulda been. If someone knew what shape that stonework was in, they coulda 'elped it along. Maybe the inspectors will be able ta tell us somethin' later," Stan offered.

"Alright, Stan. Thanks. I'd appreciate you letting me know whatever you find out."

"Right you are, Professor."

The day was looking to be an unsatisfying one for Harry. Things didn't improve much until he got home that night and found a package waiting for him. It looked very familiar as he picked it up from just inside the front door. He was pulling off the brown paper as Ginny walked into the foyer.

"Well, you didn't take long to find that. Eddy dropped it off right after lunch," she said with a smile.

As his old Firebolt came into view he couldn't help but smile, too. It looked brand new. The bristles were perfect and you couldn't tell which were original and which were replacements. The finish on the handle had been completely redone. He couldn't find the hint of the scratch that had happened when it fell into the forest. The footrest and brass binding ring were so highly polished, they gleamed.

"Wow," was all Harry could say at first.

Ginny laughed and said, "If you could see your face right now, Harry. You look fifteen years younger."

"I feel younger. It's like the day I first got it from Sirius. I can't even see where those cracks Eddy found are. I'll have to find the right place for it in the library," he said with an odd grin. "I guess I need to get off my duff and get a new one and have Eddy work on it."

"Too late, my dear. I was talking to Eddy about it and I gave him the money to order a new one for you. He promised delivery before Christmas."

Harry smiled broadly again and wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight.

"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you, Gin."

"Put aside a couple of hours sometime and I'll tell you," she replied.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. Then a thought occurred to him.

"You know, I promised those three seventh years that worked on my project last year that I would take them to see the cavern on Saturday. It'll probably be the last time I'm up there until well into next year. Are you sure you don't want to come with me and see it this time?"

"I dunno know, Harry. You know I'm not big on the idea of hiking through that dark old forest. Plus with those kids in tow you wouldn't be able to show me all the things that happen connected to the dragon. Maybe I'll wait until the first time you take James there," she said seriously, and then her face took on an impish look. "Then we can have a family picnic in that room that has your portrait engraved on the wall."

The house was soon full of Ginny's laughing and screams as Harry used the one arm he had draped around her to hold her fast as he tickled her. He eased up after a moment or two and then gave her a kiss and let her go. She still had to lean into him as she got her breath back. Harry decided that his day was ending far better than it had started.


	67. Chapter 67

Professor Potter, Chapter 67

"Well, this is it," Harry said to his three former research assistants as they stood before the structure within the cavern. "So far we've been able to uncover very little about who made all of this or how they did it. Inside the center room on the lower level is the pillar I've told you about."

He stood with the two student wizards and one witch examining what was visible in the glow of his wand and the lesser outputs of theirs. He had walked them around the larger gallery behind the structure, showing them the shallow scratch marks that Charlie had found.

"And we have no idea why they built this, sir?" the young wizard Smithson asked.

"We have ideas but nothing that we can really confirm," Harry replied. "We've talked about the possibilities that it was perhaps for someone to live in, or perform ceremonies, or both. For all we know it could have been used for a set of small shops," he finished with a shrug. "Let's take a look at the pillar."

Harry led the three students into the center room and they formed a ring around the pillar. Remembering what happened to Harry when he first encountered the pillar, no one made an attempt to touch the smooth surface. Harry smiled a bit and said,

"It should be okay. I didn't run into trouble until I tried to link up the ley lines."

Amanda was the first to reach out, although tentatively, to make contact with the stone.

"It feels warm. And almost like it's shivering. Unless that's me," she said with a laugh.

The two wizards took their cue and did the same.

"You feel the same thing?" Harry asked.

"Yes, sir," they both said.

"Since you're still students I'm not going to take the chance of pulling the ley lines together. However, once you graduate if you're still interested in trying to help us explore the possibilities of this place, we'll take it further. Alright?"

"Yes, sir," the three chorused.

"What I can tell you is that there seems to be some form of information storage going on with these energy lines. I don't know if those that came before us deliberately put them there or the nature of the lines drew the information from them. Under the proper conditions, myself and Abagail Westwood can call them up. We've been trying to sort through it all but there's a lot there."

Three sets of eyes widened somewhat at this information.

"Now above us is the room that has a stylized image of a dragon's head carved into it. Again we don't know what it means or how they did it, considering how hard this stone is. Right now the only way up is through levitation."

"I'd like to take a look if I could, Professor," Amanda volunteered.

"Alright, you first."

The young witch turned and faced the structure. Harry let his wand go dark and then incanted 'windgardium leviosa' and Amanda began floating upwards. When she reached the doorway, she grabbed the edge of the opening and pulled herself in. Once she was fully inside the room, Harry cut the spell. From below they could see the light of her wand move deeper into the room. After a few minutes she reappeared and called down,

"Alright, sir, I'm ready to come back down."

Harry repeated the spell and the girl slowly floated to the floor. Harry turned to the two wizards and said,

"Next?"

"I'll have a go, sir," Huddleford replied.

Harry repeated the process, having to add a bit more effort as the young man was substantially heavier than Amanda was. When offered the chance Smithson declined.

"No offense, sir, but I don't care to float about. I'll wait until someone puts up a proper ladder."

Harry simply nodded then said,

"So, this is it. Or what we've discovered so far. We know it goes back many millennium but we aren't sure who the original builders, or carvers, were or how it was used over time. Ms. Westwood and I are going to work on assembling some sort of catalog of the more significant images but beyond that we are sure what will happen. If you have any ideas along those lines please feel free to come see me with them. Unless there's anything else, we should be heading back up."

The three students agreed and they began trekking back up to the entrance and the forest beyond. As they walked Amanda spoke up.

"Sir, I'll be stopping at that clearing. Morgotta asked that I talk with her today. More research I think."

"Alright, Ms. Quonset. We'll see you back at the castle."

When they reached the clearing, it was empty. Harry knew however that it was under surveillance. Anytime humans were in the forest they were watched. With a final word of farewell they left Amanda there. That made the scream that tore through the trees a few moments later so shocking. Immediately, Harry and the two wizards turned and raced back to the clearing, the senses of the dragon at full alert. When they burst into the clearing they found Amanda surrounded by three male Centaurs, facing outward in a circle, bows drawn. The young witch was shaking and pale.

"Hail, Serpent King," said the oldest looking of the three, one whom he had seen before but hadn't met.

"Hail and thanks for coming so quickly to Ms. Quonset's aid. What was it?" Harry asked, trying to pick up any hint of what could have so scared the girl.

"We know not. The elder had us watching the trail and the clearing. We saw the young human remain awaiting the Lore Master. We were looking to the far side of the clearing when she suddenly screamed. You arrived only moments after we did."

Harry nodded and then moved to far edge of the clearing as the Centaur had indicated. There was something, barely on the edge of his awareness. A hint of deeper chill, the faintest smell of death and corruption. He bent down to look but could see no marks or tracks on the ground. He stood up and walked back towards Amanda. The Centaurs stood aside, the youngest walking over to where Harry had just been.

"What was it, Amanda?" Harry asked softly

"I have no idea, sir. It wasn't anything I can remember from what you or Professor Weasley ever described."

"Can you describe it for me?"

"It was like this indistinct haze, just at the edge of the clearing. There might have been a pair of red lights, I can even call them eyes. But it was how it felt that was so terrifying. It felt like it hated me. Like it wanted to destroy me completely, but I don't know how it did it. There was nothing to see, no expression, nothing. Just the feeling, cold, hateful, full of death," she said and she started to shudder.

Harry took off the cloak he was wearing against the autumn chill and wrapped it around the girl. By now the youngest Centaur returned and spoke to the elder of the three. In addition, Morgotta had entered the clearing.

"What is amiss, Serpent King?" she asked.

"Something frightened Ms. Quonset. Badly."

The Lore Master walked up and draped an arm around the girl's shoulder. She said,

"Perhaps we should postpone our discussion then, Friend Amanda Quonset."

"Oh, no," Amanda replied between shaking. "I would like to talk to you. Only not here."

"Perhaps by Hagrid's hut," Harry suggested.

Morgotta nodded and began to walk with the young witch towards the edge of the forest. One of the Centaurs followed behind, his bow still held partially drawn. The elder of the two remaining said,

"We will examine the surrounding area and then report to the elder. The youngster here could feel something unfamiliar at that spot. One suspects you did as well, Serpent King."

"Yes, a deeper chill and the smell of death," Harry replied somberly.

The young Centaur nodded his agreement. With farewells and waves the two Centaurs moved off through the undergrowth as Harry and the two younger wizards made their way out of the forest. None of them spoke, but they constantly surveyed their surroundings. When they left the forest by Hagrid's hut, they could see the girl sitting on the bench, Morgotta settling down on the grass. He thought it best to leave them to their discussion, if only to divert the girl's mind from what she had experienced, if only for a while.

As Harry walked toward the castle in the company of the two wizards he wondered about what was going on. After a relatively quiet period, in rapid succession there were thieving house elves, a resurgence of old thinking in Slytherin, the falling masonry, and now this. Was it just coincidence or was there something bigger, deeper going on?

As to the immediate issue he'd go see if Bill was around. Gryffindor wasn't scheduled for a Quidditch match today but Bill often went and watched the other houses compete. He parted company with the two young wizards in the foyer and went up to Bill's office. When he knocked he was pleasantly surprised to hear an answering,

"Come ahead."

He swung the door open and walked in. Bill was behind his desk working his way through a stack of parchment.

"Hello, Harry. I didn't expect to see you today. What's going on?" Bill asked.

"A bit of mystery in the forest," Harry said as he sat down at the other side of the desk. "No Quidditch for you today?"

"It's over. A quick and dirty match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. It lasted less than half and hour and there were fifteen penalties, only three goals and then the Hufflepuff seeker came up with the snitch. Madame Pomfrey is going to be busy this afternoon."

"That bad, eh?" Harry asked.

"Some of those young Slytherins have been stirring up a lot of bad blood. It's starting to spill over. If they aren't careful, some of them are going to end up on the short end of a long wand," Bill replied. "So what's this mystery?"

"I took my three students from last years project to see the underground chamber today. Everything was fine, I kept it low key, no dragon obviously," Harry began and then continued to recount the story.

When he began to describe what Amanda said she saw and felt, Bill's expression went from thoughtful curiosity to a frown. When Harry finished Bill tapped his desk top with a finger before he spoke.

"Well, Harry, I can't say that I've ever encountered anything like that personally, but something about it sounds familiar, the part about the chill and smell. Let me take a look through my reference material and see if I can't find something."

"You know, Bill, I've been thinking. Does it seem strange to you that we have these different things, dark things I'd guess, popping up all of a sudden? I mean the house elves, the problems with the Slytherins, the falling bits of castle and now this."

"Strange in and off themselves, perhaps yes. I don't know of anyone who's heard of house elves stealing from humans. The piece of the castle, maybe, but then again between the last battle and the dragon that time had to have done some damage. I hate to say it, but about the Slytherins, I'm actually surprised it took this long for that nonsense to surface again. Remember that we only eliminated those most deeply involved in Voldemort's schemes. Most of them had families and friends who most likely felt a lot like they do. I'm sure it's all been discussed many times in homes and secluded hide-ways for the kids to hear," Bill said seriously. "This last bit, who knows. The forest has always been a strange place full of strange, often dangerous things."

"The timing doesn't strike you as odd?" Harry asked.

"They could be related, Harry, but they don't have to be. You know, you've been through an awful lot in your relatively short life. You've seen and done more than most wizards ever will. But they've all tended to be along the same narrow focus. The big conspiracy of Voldemort and his followers. Then that wizard in Romania and his gang. Most of the evil in our lives doesn't come from such grand schemes. Just ask Dad. His work was full of the little mischief that pops up anywhere and anytime. There's that old saying about not seeing the forest through the trees, you know, losing the big picture because you're swamped in details. It works the other way, too. Sometimes the view of the whole forest overwhelms the individual trees and all you see is this big mass of green. Pay attention to the details and if they point to something bigger, fine. But don't let the idea of a conspiracy wash out the other possibilities."

"I suppose you have a point, Bill. I guess if I asked Ron he'd tell me that the amount of small time crime is pretty much the same as it's always been," Harry said.

After a little more discussion Harry left Bill to his work and left the castle. He could see that a club match was going on at the Quidditch stadium so he thought he'd head over and have a look. He entered the stadium and walked up to one of the towers reserved for faculty and visitors. There were only two seats taken, both at the railing and neither was anyone Harry recognized. He took a seat near the back and looked around the pitch.

Play had been halted and the referee, a retired pro that Harry recognized from camp, was giving a couple of flyers a thorough dressing down. Harry wondered what the infraction had been but a penalty throw had been awarded and was successful. Based on the players he saw it was a mix of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs squaring off against a team of older Slytherins. Based on the huge hourglass that had been erected to time the club games, there was perhaps half an hour left so Harry decided to see it through to the end. He was impressed by the quality of play, at least at the lower level. The scoring runs were well coordinated and executed with skill. The Slytherin Bludgers were doing a good job of hindering the opposition but not enough to tip the balance one way or the other.

Up high, things weren't going so smoothly. Both Seekers were pretty evenly matched, although not particularly skilled. He saw several blown opportunities and they spent as much time bumping into each other as they did going for the snitch. With about ten minutes to go, the Slytherin finally got a jump on his opponent and was hot on the heels of the snitch with the other Seeker trailing behind. The snitch then took a sharp turn and nearly doubled back on itself and dove at a sharp angle. This gave the other Seeker an opportunity and she went into a steep dive.

However, the Slytherin Seeker had fast reflexes and was also in hot pursuit, coming down at a sharp angle. From below Harry could see they were on a collision course if one or the other didn't correct. What he saw next surprised him. The young witch, who Harry recognized as a Hufflepuff, appeared to speed up and then pulled sharply aside to fly directly at the Slytherin, who apparently hadn't noticed. The impact was severe and the Slytherin flyer was plucked neatly from his broom. Harry's wand was out in an instant and as the Slytherin began to tumble through the air he shouted 'arresto momentum' and then watched as the young flyer slowly drifted to the pitch.

The referee heard Harry shout and when he looked up to see the young wizard drifting downward and then Harry standing in the VIP box he whistled the match to a stop. He flew down and checked on the Seeker who was now standing on the pitch shouting up at his counterpart, shaking a fist. He then waved all the other players to land and gestured to Harry to join them if he would. Within a few minutes both teams, the referee and Harry were standing in a group on the pitch grass.

"Now I don't know what you people think is goin' on here today," the referee began with some heat, "but it's certainly been one for the books as far as I'm concerned. And you," he said, gesturing to the Seeker from Hufflepuff, "just what did you think you were doin'? You could have killed that boy."

"I was trying to shut him up. I've been listening to his rude comments and foul mouth for the whole match and I'm tired of it."

This got a general murmured response from the mixed team and a number of comments from the Slytherins generally along the lines of 'Quidditch isn't a game for a bunch of pansies'.

"Enough," Harry said in a calm, quiet voice that immediately got everyone's attention. "I've only been here for less than half an hour and I only saw one infraction, the last one. I assume it's been a rough one?" he said to the referee.

"Right from the start, Professor. A lot of illegal contact, insults flying back and forth. Reminded me a bit of those hooligans you did for up at the public pitch a while back," the referee replied.

"So, how are you going to handle it?" Harry asked.

"As far as the match is concerned it's over, and due to that last foul, I'm awarding it to these blokes," he said, pointing a thumb to the Slytherins.

This caused an eruption of protests from the combined team.

"Quiet," Harry said a little louder. "Quidditch has always been a rough and tumble sport, but there are limits. And a referee's decision is final, you know that. So not another word. As to you," he said, looking at the assembled Slytherins, "I don't like what I'm seeing and hearing out of your house this year. I intend to have a few words with Professor Slughorn about it, and I'll be keeping my eye on the lot of you. And if I hear one word from any of you it will cost you points. Now clear off, there are others waiting to start a new match."

Harry and the referee watched as the two teams walked off the pitch, keeping a firmly fixed distance between them. Once they left the referee turned to Harry and said,

"You know, I never did like that bunch when I was here. I thought things had changed in the last few years but it looks like they're backslidin'."

"I'm afraid I'd have to agree with you there," Harry replied.

Harry left for home shortly after and he wasn't in a particularly good mood when he got there. Kreacher bowed him in and went looking for Ginny. He found her downstairs in the basement playroom with the boys. His sons were on him in a rush and he couldn't help but smile and after a bit of rough housing they went back to playing with various toys and Ginny came over and gave him a hug.

"You didn't look too happy when you came in, sweetheart. What's the matter?"

"Something strange in the forest and more trouble with the Slytherins," he said and went on to explain what had occurred with each.

"That forest is full of strange stuff, we've always known that, Harry. Just be glad that nothing serious happened to the girl. As to the Slytherins, I've always thought you were a little too optimistic about that bunch," she said as she put her arms around him and squeezed. "But you don't have to deal with them until Monday so for now, sit down and play with your boys."

Which is what he did and by the time they were called upstairs for dinner, his mood had brightened more than a little bit. Sunday morning saw him at the breakfast table, doing major damage to the breakfast provided by Nibs. He was perhaps half way through when Ron came in through the rear kitchen door.

"Hey, Ron. How are you doing this morning?"

"Alright, mate. Thought I'd come by and see if I could scrounge breakfast," Ron said with a crooked smile.

"What happened? You run out of groceries at home?"

"No, but I was working last night, Hermione is in Germany with Percy and some other International types and her mum and dad have Rose for the weekend. It was easier to stop here than dirty up the kitchen at home."

Harry laughed and waved Ron into a chair across from him and Nibs floated a plate down in front of the now smiling redhead.

"So whats new and exciting in the world of magical law and order? Anything on the house elf burglars?" Harry asked.

"A few things there," Ron said around a mouthful of eggs. "Goldstein tracked down that French witch who's the expert on the little buggers. He's had a conversation with her and she made quite an impression. She wants to come down and see them personally. She had a lot of nasty things to say about this 'One' character, most of it in French. Sounds familiar, huh? She feels there has to have been some form of compulsion used. She finds it impossible to believe that house elves would commit crimes like that unless they were forced to somehow. She's very old though, so moving her is going to take some doing but I'm sure we'll work something out."

Ron gulped down a few more mouthfuls and then continued.

"Speaking of those elves, they aren't doing very well themselves. I'd like to borrow one of yours, if you don't mind, and see if he can get through to them. I don't think they are eating much or whatever it is they do. Two of them have just kind of drawn completely into themselves, if you know what I mean. We're concerned how much longer they can go on like this."

"Has anyone contacted St. Mungo's?"

"Yup and no one there knows much about them. A cut or broken bone they might be able to help but this seems to be all inside their heads, you know?" Ron concluded.

"Alright, hang on," Harry said and then he looked back over his shoulder. "Kreacher, can I speak to you for a moment, please?"

The elderly house elf appeared immediately, as always, dressed in his tan pants and vest, and the spotless white shirt.

"How may Kreacher be of assistance?"

"Ron tells me those four house elves that we captured aren't doing very well. He thought another house elf might be able to get through to them and find out whats going on. I thought you might be best to try," Harry said.

"Kreacher would be happy to assist Ronald Weasley in this. Those house elves have been sorely misused and Kreacher hopes to help those elves."

"That's great, Kreacher. Ron, when do you want to go?"

"We can leave right after breakfast if that is okay."

"Kreacher will be ready whenever Ronald Weasley is."

Ron smiled and went through the rest of breakfast in short order. As he pushed the plate back he said,

"Harry, I gotta envy you. The food around here is always great."

Before Harry could answer, Nibs said from where he stood by the stove,

"The little buggers thank Ron Weasley for the compliment."

Harry nearly sprayed the table with his tea as he burst out laughing.


	68. Chapter 68

Professor Potter, Chapter xx

Harry sat in his usual spot by the hearth in the living room at Meadow Crest looking across at his brother and best mate Ron as well as Anthony Goldstein as they sat on opposite ends of the couch. It was Saturday afternoon and they had come out to discuss what was going on with the four captured house elf burglars. Two weeks had passed since Kreacher had agreed to provide what ever help he could in unraveling what was going on. Several days ago the little elf had confided to Harry that he did not think that the weaker two would survive much longer. Their deteriorated physical condition was bad enough, but mentally they had completely shut down. Not even the highly knowledgeable old witch could do anything to get through to them. She and Kreacher were having some limited success with the other two and while they hadn't uncovered any additional information, they were able to establish a tenuous connection.

"I realize it's not much, Harry," Anthony said, "but it is more than we had before. Madame Toussant has been able to have fairly coherent conversations with those two at least. We hope once she's able to establish some trust they'll talk more. She said it would be better if they were able to be in a more familiar setting, like a household but we can't take a chance on letting them go back up north with her. We're trying to find something closer to London."

Harry nodded then looked to Ron and said,

"Why not use the Black house?"

"What? Your London house, Harry? You think that might work?" Ron asked.

"I don't see why not. I have to imagine these elves haves spent at least a part of their lives working in someones home. It should be okay, I'm sure Kreacher left it in good shape when we closed it and he and the others should be able to open it up quickly enough. The security spells should still be in place and the folks at the Ministry could probably add some to make sure your suspects stay put."

"Okay, mate, I'll suggest it to the Chief and Deputy and see what they think. Thanks."

The two Aurors left a short time later and Harry was able to retire to the library to do some work on his more arcane volumes. He was making copious notes as his improved capacity to understand the often circuitous reasoning of the ancient authors cleared up a lot of previously confusing, if not downright incomprehensible, material. He had the feeling that he and Professor Dumbledore were going to have some interesting conversations during the nights he stayed up at Hogwarts.

He was also waiting for Ginny to return home. She had arranged with Morgotta, through Hagrid, to meet that afternoon at Hagrid's hut. Harry was curious, to say the least, how the discussion had gone. It was nearly dinner time when he heard his wife's voice in the front foyer, thanking Dinkle for letting her in. He looked to the door of the library and was rewarded with the sight of his very pink cheeked wife hurry into the room. He stood up and wrapped her in a hug as she burrowed her face in his shoulder.

"Oh, that feels good, sweetheart. It's very chilly out there."

"You weren't outside the whole time, were you?" Harry asked as he rubbed her back.

"Yes, right outside Hagrid's hut, but he had a fire going the whole time so it wasn't really all that bad, but the walk to the front gate changed all that. It's quite a bit colder up there today, with a bit of a stiff breeze once you get away from the forest."

"Well, sit down. I'll put some more wood on the fire and you can tell me how things went," he said.

Ginny dropped onto the couch and pulled the small blanket that usually rested on the cushioned back over her lap. Harry put more wood on the fire and stirred it up and soon the revived flames were radiating enough heat to bring a smile to Ginny's face.

"Hmm, much better. Thank you, sweetheart."

"My pleasure, luv," he replied as he sat back down in his chair. "So, tell me, how did it turn out?"

"It went surprisingly well, Harry. I had a notion that it was going to turn into a long question and answer session about you, but actually, you only came up a few times. Once about how we got together, another about how the DA got started and then about you becoming part of the Weasley family. Everything else was about me, being part of a big family, my time at the Harpies, then us starting our own family. That sort of thing. And you were right. She is a very serious minded person and very smart."

Harry nodded and pursed his lips, then said,

"In a way it doesn't surprise me. One of my students, Amanda Quonset, you recall her? She said she had discussions that were very similar. I think Morgotta may be trying to understand how humans behave in groups. You know how Centaurs view humans in that respect."

"Yes, we had that discussion. She was frankly amazed at how we seem to absorb people into the family. Oh, one thing she did want to know about you was the whole business of you and Abagail. She said it was like when a young Centaur might lose his or her parents. There would always be someone to look after the youngster. She didn't say much but the look on her face seemed to soften when I explained it all to her," Ginny said.

"Well, I'm glad it all worked out. I imagine you gave her a lot to think about."

"I suppose so," Ginny replied. "Oh, I almost forgot. There was an awful lot of activity around the upper floors of the castle in a few spots. What's that all about?"

"Oh," he began, remembering he hadn't mentioned anything about the falling masonry. "There are some concerns about how solid some of the masonry is in a few spots. A piece fell off a few weeks ago. Looks like there may have been some unspotted damage left over from the last battle."

"Wow. That sounds pretty dangerous. Someone could get hurt."

Harry nodded his agreement and let the subject drop. Any further conversation was cut off when Nibs announced that dinner was ready in the dining room. The rest of the evening, the entire weekend in fact, passed quietly. Everyone seemed to have something to keep them occupied. Harry divided his time between the books and the boys, likewise with Ginny although she was concentrating on her journal when she could. Abagail was barricaded in her rooms trying to meet deadlines for some book illustrations and a quantity of pendants she was putting into two stores, one in Diagon Alley and the other at Hogsmeade, on consignment.

The peaceful atmosphere at Meadow Crest wasn't going to carry over to Hogwarts, however. Harry had barely made it through the front doors of the castle before he became aware of a very ugly mood permeating the old building. He had already eaten breakfast but instead of heading for his classroom he walked to the rear door of the Great Hall and tried to stay out of sight while peering in. There was barely any conversation and those at the Slytherin table seemed to be hunkered down, having drawn an almost perceptible barrier around themselves.

Those seated at the other tables kept glancing over, their looks ranging from anger to disgust. Harry could only wonder what had gone on and why he hadn't heard about it. As Harry's gaze fell on the head table he could see there was a fair amount of tension among the faculty and staff. When he got to Bill he could see his brother looking right back at him and when they made eye contact the eldest Weasley son just shook his head and then gestured to the side door that the faculty usually used. By the time Harry got there, Bill was standing just into the hallway.

"What in the world is going on, Bill? It's like the whole room is ready to explode," Harry said.

"Things got pretty bad here this weekend, Harry. Slytherin and Ravenclaw had a Quidditch match that reached new heights in dirty play and there were a few skirmishes between groups of students in Hogsmeade. It came to a head last night just before curfew. Someone grabbed those three first years that have been at the center of a lot of the problems, roughed them up a bit, stripped them to their underwear and tossed them into the lake. Stan found them staggering back up to the castle as he was preparing to close up for the night. Professor McGonagall called an emergency assembly and dressed down the entire student body. Then the Heads of House had to hold meetings of their own. I understand that Professor Slughorn was particularly incensed, both at the behavior of his own students and at what happened to the three boys. He threatened to resign as Head of Slytherin and ask the Headmistress to appoint you in his place. He suggested your previous experience with troublemakers of all sorts might prove effective."

"What? That's crazy. I wasn't in Slytherin, how could I be the Head?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Well, technically you could. It's only by tradition that the Head is a former member of a House. With serious enough extenuating circumstances it could be done."

"Yeah, well, you can forget you ever heard the idea. I'd never agree to it," Harry said seriously.

"I wouldn't have thought so but it gives you some idea of the seriousness of the situation," Bill replied.

Any further conversation was cut off when they heard Professor McGonagall tersely dismiss the class, by table. There was to be no general crush at the back of the room this time. With a nod and a grim smile Harry left Bill to make his way to his class room. Fortunately it was Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff so he wouldn't have to look at any Slytherins just yet.

Lunch was equally subdued and as Harry ate he constantly surveyed the students. He could see that indeed some of the Ravenclaws that he recognized as flyers carried more than the normal compliment of visible bruises and abrasions. Some of the same could be seen at the Slytherin table. It must have been an epic brawl. As lunch concluded, once again the Headmistress dismissed the students by table and as Harry made his way down off the dais he noticed young Mr. Ericson, the now second year, who had had the vivid dream about the dragon flying above the Dark Forest last year, making his way towards him.

"Excuse me, sir," the boy began, "could I talk to you for a moment?"

"Certainly, Mr. Ericson. Let's go out into the hallway," Harry replied and then he led the youngster out into the slightly quieter corridor and over to a window embrasure. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Well, sir. If you remember, last year I talked to you about the kinds of dreams that I sometimes have?"

"Yes, I do. Occasionally you have very clear dreams that leave you feeling tired even after sleeping all night, yes?"

"That's right, sir. I had the one last year about the dragon, but then none again until a couple of Saturdays ago. I guess I should have said something sooner but we've been pretty busy lately and what with everything else going on," the boy finished with a shrug.

"Yes, I know what you mean. So what was this new dream?"

"Well, sir. I had it in the afternoon. I was pretty tired from all the work and such so I was taking a nap. I saw you and some of the older students walking along a trail in the forest and I think a couple of Centaurs were there as well. Well, anyway, you left one of the students in a clearing. A girl I think it was. Then all of a sudden three Centaurs jumped into the clearing and surrounded her and you and the two boys came running back."

"Yes, in fact that all did happen, Mr. Ericson. The girl was going to meet with another Centaur but something frightened her and she screamed. We all went running back to see what happened," Harry replied.

"I see. Well, sir, I was just wondering. Are there any snakes in the Dark Forest?"

Harry felt a chill run up his spine as the boy regarded him, his eyes questioning.

"A snake?"

"Yes, sir. Kind of a big one."

"I can't say I've ever seen or heard of one but I'd have to ask Professor Hagrid to know for sure. Why do you ask?" Harry inquired.

"Well, sir, on the opposite side of the clearing from where the girl was standing I thought I saw a big snake, but it wasn't really clear, which is kinda strange since I can usually see things very clearly in these dreams."

"Well, that is a bit strange," Harry said, outwardly calm. "If I recall correctly, the last time we discussed your dreams you said that the forest below the dragon looked a little fuzzy. I think we know why that happened. Perhaps the same thing was affecting what you saw about the snake."

"Could be, sir. I just thought that it was very odd, but it sure would explain the girl screaming. A big snake like that would make me yell for sure."

"Me too, I'd think. Do me a favor, Mr. Ericson. When you find a quiet moment, take some time to think back on your dream and see if you recall anything else."

"Do you think this might be something important, Professor?" the boy asked.

"I don't know, yet, Mr. Ericson. But I've come to understand that what might not seem important now can be very important later."

"Yes, sir. I'll do that and thank you, sir."

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you, Mr. Ericson. Off you go, now."

With a quick smile, the boy headed off to his next class leaving behind a troubled Professor. What had appeared to Amanda Quonset as a barely discernible shape with a couple of red dots appeared to the boy as a large snake, if vaguely. Add to that the feel of death and decay and Harry definitely didn't like where this might be heading. As the corridor emptied and the sounds died away he leaned on the lower edge of the window sill and turned his thoughts inward. He was looking for something he hoped he'd never 'see' again.

In fact, he didn't really know what he was looking for as he had never really seen that fragment of Voldemort, only the effect of the altered memory of the last battle. After fruitless searching he 'said',

"So, have either of you see our tag-along friend?"

The dry dispassionate voice of the deep thinker replied with some disdain,

"You still persist in this illusion of separateness. There is no 'we'," it said with exasperation, "but to the heart of your question, that one never really showed itself since you locked it away. Perhaps the mind healer could help in the search."

"Yes, Dr. Medford. I'll send a message out right away."

Which is what he did. So it was that the following afternoon he was sitting in the office of Dr. Medford at St. Mungo's discussing the situation.

"So, Harry, let me see if I understand your concerns. With all of these unusual events that have occurred over the years, you're worried that that fragment of Voldemort that I found that time has somehow escaped?"

"Something like that, sir. I realize I may be grasping at straws but what occurred in the Forest added to what my student dreamt, raises certain questions and I need to start looking for answers, or at least, eliminating possibilities," Harry replied.

"Alright, Harry, I can take a look and see what I can discern. I can't make any guarantees, however."

"I understand, sir. But at least it's a start."

The elderly healer stood up and came around to stand next to Harry, holding up his hand in that habitual gesture to request permission to make contact. Harry nodded and Dr. Medford placed his hand alongside Harry's head, the thumb touching the temple and the fingertips along the back of the skull. Harry could feel the tingles that he had experienced the times before although there was little discomfort and the range of sensations was more varied. He tired to open his mind as much as possible to allow the healer to look as deeply as he could.

Harry wasn't sure how much time had passed but eventually the sensations stopped and Dr. Medford removed his hand. The man's face looked very thoughtful as he walked back around his desk and sat down. He looked at Harry for a few moments and said,

"Well, that was very interesting, Harry. As to your original question, no, I couldn't find any traces of that which I had found that first time. Whatever vestige of Voldemort you harbored is either gone, or so thoroughly diminished as to be indistinguishable as a separate identity. Beyond that, I'd have to say that you've undergone some rather significant events, transformative would be a better description. Is there anything that you'd be willing to share with me?" the Healer asked.

"Well, sir, as a result of my research into some phenomenon that was discovered in the Dark Forest I experienced what I guess you could say was a lowering of barriers that I didn't know were there. It seems to have helped my ability to understand things that I had trouble with previously," Harry said.

"I'd have to say that was the quick, uncomplicated answer, Harry, but it explains some of what I felt, as far as it goes. The depth of mind is certainly increased, I could feel that, as well as an ability to, oh, open things up more, I'd say. You took a more active roll in my search this time," Dr. Medford offered.

Harry nodded and then said,

"But you think Voldemort is gone?"

"It would appear so, Harry. Either fled, ejected or evaporated. I can't tell which."

"That will give me something to work with at least. Thank you, sir."

"I'm glad I could be of help, Harry," the Healer replied. "Even if just a little," he concluded with a smile.

Later that evening Harry and Ginny were in the library discussing what the Healer had said.

"So you think somehow what was in your head is now out in the Forest, Harry?" Ginny asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

"It's a thought, luv. I'm just trying to stitch the pieces together and see what I can come up with. Amanda saw or felt something that frightened her badly. She felt like whatever it was hated her. What I felt was certainly cold and smelled of death. Add to that what the Ericson boy thought he saw in his dream and it starts to add up. Perhaps when I connected to those leylines, maybe that last time when I was more or less in the flows, whatever was hiding up here," he said, tapping his head with his finger for emphasis, "was able to get out and become part of the flow. Maybe that gave it access to the forest on that haze or whatever I can sense."

Ginny pursed her lips and shook her head a bit before saying,

"So what are you going to do?"

"Give it some more thought. Look for some more evidence and if I think I have to, take another trip into the flows and see what I can find," he replied.

"You're going to hunt Voldemort in those energy line?"

"If I have to," he answered softly.

As much as that idea disturbed him, Harry didn't dwell on it too much since the problem should be confined to the Forest and it didn't appear that whatever it was was very strong. Of more immediate urgency was the problem with the burglar house elves and whoever was behind it all. Chief Maxwell had taken Harry up on his offer of the Black house and the elderly witch and the four house elf criminals had been moved in. The two weaker elves remained unresponsive but according to Anthony Goldstein, who was the official investigator on the case, the other two were showing slight improvement. Kreacher was spending a fair amount of time helping set up the house and working to gain the confidence of the other elves. His reports to Harry were somber and serious but Harry could tell his friend and servant was taking some pride in the work.

The situation at Hogwarts had eased a bit, evidenced by the conversation in the Great Hall returning to normal levels at meal time, but there were still many furtive, often hostile glances exchanged, but at least open warfare had not erupted in the hallways or classrooms. But there was a skirmish or two. Harry happened upon one early that Thursday morning. Unfortunately, Ted Lupin was a part of it. Harry had come up early to set up a particularly tricky Transfiguration project for a fifth year class and was now heading to the Great Hall. As he walked along, Harry heard what was going on before he saw it. Two loud juvenile voices were being overridden but a calmer, deeper one.

"Now y'all boys oughtta know bettah den ta be punchin' it up right heah in da hallway," came the voice that Harry recognized as Anton DuBonais.

Before either of the other voices could respond Harry rounded the corner and came upon what in other circumstances might have been a comical scene. The massive figure of Anton was standing there, each hand bunched in a significant portion of the robes of two much smaller antagonists. One of course was Ted, the other was one of the three problematic Slytherin first years. Both boys were doing their best to balance on toe tips as Anton had them hauled up just short of dangling. And both were still trying to swing at each other, but were accomplishing little.

"So, what's all this then?" Harry asked in that deceptively quiet way of his.

Both would be brawlers froze in place and Anton looked back over his shoulder.

"Oh, hello dere, Professah. I came across dese two going at each othuh."

"You have no business butting in like this. Put me down, you oaf," demanded the Slytherin boy.

"Quiet," Harry began but it was unnecessary.

Without any apparent effort Anton took the boy the rest of the way off the floor and he now hung like a kitten picked up by the scruff of the neck.

"Thank you, Anton. You did the right thing. If you wouldn't mind would you take them into the Hall and see that they find their places. I'll inform their Heads of House. As for you two you've just cost your houses twenty five points a piece. And you," Harry said, pointing to Ted, "will come see me in my office this afternoon after classes. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," came the sullen reply.

"If you would, Mr. DuBonais, and again my thanks," Harry said.

"Glad ta be o' help, suh," Anton said to Harry and then looking at the boys added, "come on y'all."

Harry watched as Anton frog marched the two boys into the empty Hall, their feet now in contact with the floor. Harry could hear the sound of the rest of the students coming down for breakfast. He wondered what the effect of a fistfight in the corridor would have provoked had Anton not come along. When the faculty came in Harry informed the Headmistress and the two Heads of House. It was a quiet breakfast at the head table.

It wasn't long after classes were over that Harry heard the tentative knock at the door and he called out,

"Enter."

He sat back and waited as Ted slowly made his way into the small office. Harry nodded toward the chair on the other side of the desk. When the boy was seated and looking at his god father Harry asked,

"What was it this time?"

Ted took a deep breath and began to talk. He told Harry how he had gone down to the memorial park after classes the day before and left a few things on his parents graves. What things he didn't say. When he walked out he saw the three Slytherins standing outside the entrance looking at him. Harry chose not to interrupt the boy with any questions about first years being off school grounds and let Ted talk. Some words were exchanged but before anything could happen the sound of adult voices carried to them from further back in the park and they hotfooted it back to the other side of the Hogwarts main gate. Concerned with attracting attention they headed off in different directions to make their way back to their respective places separately but with comments passed back and forth about future retribution. This morning's episode was the result of Ted and the Slytherin both coming down early to lie in wait for the other. They ran into each other by accident.

"Harry, I'm sick and tired of the things they are saying about me, my parents, everyone down there. And so are a lot of other people. If they don't watch out they might not last the year."

"Enough of that. Look Ted, I know what it's like. You don't think I had to listen to a bunch of garbage like that from Malfoy and his thugs when I was first up here?" Harry said earnestly. "Believe me, we had our moments, but brawling in plain site in the hallways isn't going to get you anywhere but in a great deal of trouble and costing your house hard earned points. Keep it up and you'll have half the Gryffindors after you as well as the Slytherins. Now I'm telling you, and hopefully for the last time. Get it under control and start using your head, understand?"

"Yes, sir," the boy responded in a very subdued voice.

"All right, get out of here and stay out of trouble," he said with a faint smile to take some of the sting out of his words.

Ted stood up and left the office. Harry looked up at the ceiling and wondered what it was going to be like as more of the Weasley clan's younger generation started making their presence known at Hogwarts. When Friday night finally arrived he was glad to be home. Halloween was rapidly approaching and Ginny and Abagail were getting the house ready for the now annual party hosted at Meadow Crest by the elder Weasleys. He was hoping the weather would hold for the weekend so he could take the car out for a drive.

He was a bit late getting out of bed Saturday morning as it had been late before he could get to sleep, with multiple concerns warring with fatigue until the fatigue finally won. He was finished with breakfast and enjoying a last cup of tea when Ron walked into the Kitchen.

"Hey, Harry, some big news. Well, not so big, but at least it's something," the lanky redhead said enthusiastically.

"What is it?"

"That old French witch finally got something out of those two house elves that can still function. They made some references about missing their old homes and how much they had hated being stuck on some windy old island."

"Okay, that's something, but aren't there a lot of windy old islands out there?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but listen to this. One of them mumbled something about the place smelling like a 'Great One'. Does that ring a bell?" Ron asked with a grin.

Harry sat upright and said,

"That's what they called me when I confronted them as the dragon."

"Exactly. Goldstein remembered you saying that. A team went out late yesterday to check that island where you blew that place to pieces. I haven't heard anything back yet, but I thought you'd want to know."

"Yeah, thanks, mate. That would seem to imply someone from the old Mysteries Department is involved in this," Harry said.

"Could be, or someone who heard about the place after you took it down, but at least it's something."

Harry nodded, at least it was something. Later that morning he was down in the basement playroom with the boys while Ginny and Abagail made a quick trip to Diagon Alley to look for some items for the upcoming party. During a lull in the ongoing battle between boys, dog and tug of war toys, James looked at his father and asked,

"Da, is Teddy in trouble?"

Harry looked at his son and said,

"I'm afraid so, James. He's having some difficulties with a few boys from one of the other houses and he's not handling it very well."

"Those Slytheries?"

"Slytherins. But yes. How did you know?" Harry asked, a bit surprised at what his son knew.

"Abbie tells me things. Teddy sends her letters," James responded matter-of-factly.

Once again Harry felt he had missed the obvious answer. Abagail kept up a steady correspondence with Ted and Harry was sure that the boy was keeping her abreast of his problems. He hoped her sharing information with James wasn't breaking any confidences.

"I think he'll be alright, James, it can be tough adjusting to living at school. I know I had some problems at first."

James smiled broadly and then laughed.

"What?" Harry prompted.

"Mummy said you got in trouble a lot and I better not do that when I go to school," James replied, adding a smug little smile.

Harry feigned an outraged look and the wrestling match was on. Despite their history of combative competition, when faced with adult aggression, Snuffles showed solidarity with the boys and soon Harry had two sons and an oversized, four legged tank to contend with. Since the no magic rule was strictly enforced at such times, the father soon found himself overmatched when Snuffles decided to just lay down on Harry's chest and pin him to the floor. The boys crowed in victory as their 'da' tried to wrestle the mastiff off of him. When he was finally able to drag himself up off the floor Harry looked down at the furry monster and said,

"I'm not sure but I think someone has been feeding you too much."

In the last few days that led up to Halloween and the annual ball the atmosphere at Hogwarts had settled down a bit. There were no new reported incidents between any students, individual or in groups. Apparently word had gotten around about Anton's intervention and the not too veiled threat that he'd personally feed any further transgressors to 'dat big ol' flying gator' that was due to arrive Halloween night. In addition, the Heads of House had informed their respective charges that any disruption of the dance itself would result in suspension, if not outright expulsion from the school.

Therefore, when he and Ginny arrived and made their way to join Bill and Fleur at their usual table on the dais the mood in the room was restrained. Taking a look around Harry saw that there was only a handful of Slytherins in attendance, nearly all from the top three years. The troublesome three first years were no where to be seen, which bothered him. He would have preferred that they be where he could keep an eye on them. The mood didn't seem to have any effect on Fleur who hurried to meet them before they could start climbing the steps.

"'arry, Geeny, eet ees so wonderful to see you," she enthused as she hugged first Ginny, then Harry.

Her smile was as wide and dazzling as Harry could remember and he wondered if she was trying to improve the mood of the party goers single-handedly. She then hooked an arm with each and led them up to Bill. Bill gave his sister a hug and shook hands with Harry and then looking out over the Great Hall said,

"So what do you think, Professor? Should we expect any trouble tonight?"

"Not in here, Professor. But it looks like a lot of Slytherins didn't bother to show so who knows what they might get up to," Harry replied.

Bill simply nodded and gestured for them all to sit down.

"I'd have to agree with you there, Harry," Ginny offered. "With the two of you sitting up here scowling at them, they'd have to be insane to cause any trouble here."

"Scowl? We don't scowl, do we, Professor?" Bill said looking over at Harry, his scarred face set in a menacing cast.

"An absurd thought, Professor," Harry replied, his eyebrows pulled down behind his round glasses.

Then the two started to laugh. The music began and quickly the four were down on the floor in the usual pattern. Husband and wife for the first two dances and then changing up for the third. The third number was an unusually lively one and Harry and Fleur were soon whirling around the floor setting a blistering tempo for the rest to try and follow. As the music finally subsided and the dancers slowed Fleur's laughter rang through the Hall.

"Mon dieu, 'arry. That was tres mangnifique, so wonderful. Merci beau coup."

"You're welcome, Fleur, and thank you. I guess it helped to burn up some of the tension we've been feeling these past weeks," Harry said with a big grin.

"Let us hope all the students feel the same way, oui?" she replied.

He smiled in reply and got a big hug as Bill and Ginny came over to join them. Bill was visibly winded.

"Good lord, you two, what were you trying to do?" he said.

"Just having a little fun, Professor," Harry replied with a laugh.

The two couples walked over to the buffet table and began serving themselves, Harry being given his usual platter. The music and dancing seemed to help lighten the mood and there was more conversation and dancing as the night wore on. Finally, Ginny looked up at the magic ceiling and said,

"Looks to be about time for you to make your appearance, sweetheart."

"I think so. I hope I have enough energy left what with the way Fleur was flinging me around the dance floor," he replied.

"I beg your pardon, mon frere. Eet was I that was 'aving trouble keepeeng my feet on the floor. Now go, do what you love best," the blonde beauty replied in mock outrage.

With a laugh Harry stood up and slowly walked off the dais, where he exchanged comments with several students before drifting into the corridor and out through the front door. It was about ten minutes later when a large dark object sailed over the castle, followed by a bellowing roar. With that signal the Hall began to empty as the students hurried outside to watch the show. And this year it was quite a show. Whether spurred on by what he felt while dancing or from a need to send a more serious message to the student body the dragon put on an unparalleled display of aerial maneuvers, punctuated by massive blasts of plasma and ear numbing roars.

The students were soon caught up in the mood of excitement and began cheering the massive creature on, cheers that changed to screams as Harry buzzed the crowd, forcing them to dive to the ground, only to have them bounce back up, laughing and cheering again. Finally, the dragon came to a hover and then settled to the ground in front of the crowd. As he looked down Harry could see many smiles, others laughing and gesturing. To one side he could see, however, a small knot dressed in Slytherin colors talking with heads close and expressions that were less than joyful. They seemed to become aware of his scrutiny and they turned to regard him, giving the impression they were challenging him.

He shifted position with a few dull, but loud, footfalls and lowered his head so he could more closely regard the group of dour faced students. He made sure to keep his persona totally dragon, slit pupils and all. The three first years were there as well as a handful of other years but Harry kept his focus on the three. As he had years ago with Professor McGonagall, he tried to let the dragon senses get some feel for their auras. With the smaller group he could get a clearer sense and where the Headmistress had exuded a sense of strength and dignity, these individuals, the three in particular, gave the sense of arrogance, most likely born from a life of privilege, as well as a disdain for pretty much everything around them. He could sense no feeling of malice or menace, such as he had come to recognize from the likes of Lucius Malfoy, or that old Romanian wizard.

With the dragon's more refined and powerful sense of disdain Harry concluded what they had here was a group of spoiled troublemakers and not the reincarnation of Draco Malfoy and his thugs, Deatheaters in the making. Knowing this he felt they could be dealt with more easily. He took hold of the draconic sense of superiority to all living things, wrapped it in a healthy dose of condescension and contempt and pushed it out at the small assemblage. The effect was visible and gratifying. As one the group took several steps back and paled visibly in the strong moonlight. The larger group of students were witness and although they didn't know the reason, they saw the effect and there was more than a little chuckling to be heard.

With a last snort of derision, the great dragon lifted his head skyward and fired off a last blast of plasma and then with several back steps gained room for take off. As he swept his great wings and bounded into the air the wind blasts wrapped robes tightly against the students nearby. With a last bellowing roar he turned and headed away from the school to disappear into the night sky. Two groups returned the castle. One was larger and very boisterous. The other, much smaller, was visibly subdued, if not worried.

Harry had moved quickly so that he was coming back into the school at the tail end of the students. One of his sixth years caught his eye and when he looked over the young witch said,

"That was really something to see, wasn't it, Professor?"

"Yes, it was. I'm glad I came out to catch it. He seemed very energetic tonight," Harry replied.

"'He', sir?"

"Well, it's seems more respectful than 'it'."

"I guess it does," the girl laughed. "He didn't seem all that pleased with that lot," she added in a lower voice.

"Perhaps, but who can tell what a dragon might be thinking. Maybe he was trying to decide if he needed a snack after all that flying and flaming," Harry said with a grin as the girls eyebrows shot up before she too began to smile.

Several members of the smaller group of students looked over with startled expressions. Harry moved toward the smaller side entrance of the hall while the students filed in from the back. As he came up onto the dais Ginny smiled at him and said,

"So, was it a good performance tonight? It seemed longer and a lot noisier."

"Yes, luv, it went very well, and I had a lot of fun. I even had a chance to take the measure of our troublesome Slytherins. Bill, it looks like you were right when you told me it didn't have to be some big thing. Apparently their a bunch of spoiled kids who just want to cause trouble because they can. I think we can figure out how to deal with that."

"I'd have to think so, Harry. What did you have in mind?" Bill asked.

Harry sat back in his chair and smiled.


	69. Chapter 69

Professor Potter, Chapter 69

"Good, I'm glad to see you four can be where you're supposed to be when you so choose," Harry said as he stood facing the three young Slytherins and his godson Ted.

They were standing in front of Hagrid's hut in the waning light of an early November afternoon. In the face of the repeated infractions committed by this group of youngsters Harry had arranged with their Heads of House to take a hand in their disciplinary requirements. He used his own history at Hogwarts for the inspiration for this particular event.

"Now, since you gentlemen seem to have a difficult time getting along, I thought you might gain a bit of perspective by doing something together. You're going to assist me in a search of this part of the forest. There might be a large snake loose. I'd like to look for any signs of it," Harry said.

The four boys were looking at Harry wide eyed. One of the Slytherins, by the name of Rutherford, said,

"You can't be serious. The sun is almost down and you want us to go stumbling around the forest looking for some bloody great snake?"

Harry stood with his arms crossed, regarding the youngster with a cocked eyebrow.

"Umm, sir."

"Better. First of all, I've taken many walks in the Forest and I've never stumbled. Second, when I was your age I took a similar trip looking for something that was killing unicorns and I came out of it just fine," Harry answered matter of factly.

"This is ridiculous. You just wait until my father hears about this," Rutherford said.

Harry smiled, and not with humor. He fixed the boy with those penetrating green eyes and said,

"You might want to reconsider that comment, Mr. Rutherford. If I recall correctly the school has yet to contact your parents about your recent transgressions. Do you want to be the one to bring all this to his attention? Particularly when you consider how close you all are to getting expelled. I imagine that would be rather an embarrassment for them."

The three Slytherins remained silent but looked extremely uncomfortable. Ted looked more thoughtful and said to no one in particular,

"I'm not arguing. I'd rather get eaten by a giant snake than have my grandmother find out about all this."

Harry had to stifle a smile at the note in Ted's voice at the dour acceptance of his fate. Then he squared his shoulders and said,

"Alright, gentlemen. Wands out and in we go. Me first."

"Wait a minute," one of the other Slytherins said. "You want one of us to be at the back of the line? What if something comes at us from behind?"

"I suppose I could bring up the rear, but do any of you know your way around to lead us? And what if something comes at us from the front?" Harry asked.

The boys shared panicky looks as Harry headed off into the forest using the now very familiar trail. Ted gave a shrug and plunged in after him. The other three hesitated a moment and then hurried after in a near run to close up the distance. The gloom under the trees deepened quickly as the sun neared the horizon. Their first stop was the clearing where Amanda had her frightening encounter. Harry looked at the boys and said,

"Alright, gentlemen. I want you to take a careful look at the ground around the edge of the clearing. Look for anything that might indicate a snake or something snakelike had been moving around. You can poke around in the bushes but don't go into the underbrush yet. And I'd suggest you pair up."

He watched as two Slytherins went off to slowly poke around the edges of the clearing to their left. Ted and the remaining boy, not the one he had the punch up with that Anton interrupted, looked at each other, shrugged a bit and began looking to their right. Harry said nothing and then made his way to the spot where the apparition apparently appeared to Amanda. There was no lingering sense of the cold or death and corruption that he felt that last time, but that wasn't surprising given the time that had passed. He crouched down to examine the grass and bare undergrowth. If the apparition had had any affect on the greenery he couldn't detect it.

He turned and watched as the two teams of boys carefully made their way around the edge of the clearing until they converged on where he was standing. They reported finding nothing of consequence.

"Alright. You can start looking in the undergrowth but don't go more than five paces in and make sure you stay in sight of each other and the clearing."

Harry could see them tense up but he knew that there wasn't anything bigger than a squirrel or bird anywhere close to them but he wasn't about to tell the boys that. With a nod he sent them off and watched as the two pairs began to gingerly step amongst the low bushes, pushing branches aside to look at the ground. They were at it for about ten minutes when someone let out a shout and then the voice of Rutherford rang out,

"It was just a squirrel, you git."

By the time they were finished, the search was being conducted by wand light. Harry kept his 'lumos' spell well contained, forcing the boys to work with what feeble light they could conjure. When they finally joined him in the center of the clearing they had nothing to report.

"This is ridiculous, Professor," Rutherford said. "We can barely see where we are. How do you expect us to find traces of some bloody snake?"

"By working together, paying attention and trying, that's how. Alright, we're done here, let's move out," Harry said by way of reply.

But instead of heading back toward Hagrid's, Harry took the trail deeper into the forest, pretending to ignore the groans he heard coming from behind. He did boost the light output from his wand,however. As they walked, the sound of large bodied creatures could be heard. Someone or something was flanking the little troop to either side of the trail. Harry knew exactly who was out there but he wasn't saying anything. He also knew that they were being uncharacteristically noisy. He could also hear the whispered comments from behind him. Finally, someone did more than whisper.

"Oi, Professor, there's something out there," the voice hissed.

"Several somethings, I'd imagine," Harry replied back over his shoulder. "The forest is full of somethings."

They walked on for another quarter hour when a large shadow walked onto the trail just beyond the edge of Harry's ball of light. From behind him came a muffled oath.

"Hail, Serpent King. You are about late this day," the deep rumbling voice of Bane said.

"Hail, Friend Bane. Yes we are. My students and I are looking for signs of what frightened young Amanda Quonset so badly the other day."

The big Centaur walked into the circle of light that Harry's enhanced Lumos spell had provided. The look on his face was grim and stern, even for him. Harry could feel the four boys bunch up closer behind him.

"A troubling matter, that," Bane said. "It has been discussed much among us. There are those that say they feel uneasy going out into parts of the forest that have been known to us for many generations. They speak of the feeling of being watched by a menacing presence, but not like any creature we are familiar with. Have you an idea of what it is you seek?"

"A hint of a suspicion, you could say. We are seeking evidence of a large snake," Harry replied.

A look of uncertainty crossed Bane's face as he considered Harry's words.

"Serpent King, this forest has never been home to such as that. The only time I know that such a creature was seen in this forest was that night when you came..." and he stopped, his eyebrows arching.

"Just so," Harry replied calmly.

"Should this prove true, it would be a most serious matter."

"Yes, it would, but as I said, right now it is just a hint of a suspicion. I would ask that you not raise an alarm but if you would listen for anything that might be of importance and let me know I would appreciate it."

"Of course, Serpent King, it will be as you ask," Bane replied and then he made to look past Harry. "An odd assemblage for a search party."

"Yes, well, I thought they could use a lesson in what is truly important and maybe learn a little team work as well."

Bane side stepped so he could get a better look at the four boys behind Harry. Harry turned and said,

"Where are my manners. Allow me to introduce four members of the first year. Messrs. Lupin, Rutherford, Johnson and Bailey. Gentlemen, this is Bane, a wise person among the Centaurs and my friend."

Bane looked the four boys over and his gaze came to rest on Ted. He folded his arms across his muscular chest and said,

"Lupin, there are two among those that fell that fateful night named such."

"Yes, sir. My mother and father," Ted said, his voice a mix of pride and sorrow.

"A large burden to bear for one so young," Bane intoned.

"Yes, sir, but it wouldn't be as bad if some people would stop saying the things they have," Ted replied making a meaningful gesture with his head towards the three Slytherins.

Bane shifted his gaze and his expression darkened considerably. The three boys appeared to shrink in on themselves a bit. Bane then looked at Harry.

"Is what the young human says true, Serpent King?"

"I'm afraid so, Friend Bane. Some very unpleasant and hurtful comments have been made. The result has been fights and a great deal of bad blood amongst the students. Their presence here with me tonight," Harry said with a wave of his hand to indicate the four boys, "is among other things, a disciplinary action for fighting in the school."

"Shameful, a disgraceful thing," Bane rumbled. "To dishonor the brave dead is a demeaning act for all involved. Such would never be tolerated within the herd."

Harry could see genuine fear on the face of the three Slytherins for Bane's expression was like a thundercloud as he seemed to loom over them.

"The forest is a harsh and unforgiving place, young humans. Your presence will not be welcome here once you leave this evening," he said to the three Slytherins, then he looked at Ted. "Your actions in this are understandable, young human, but you must have discipline. Your elders," he said gesturing to Harry, "have doubtless sought to guide you in this. You must heed them. To do else is to dishonor the memory of those who fell. This you should not do."

From somewhere Ted found the courage to look Bane squarely in the eye, despite the height difference. He held that gaze for a moment and then said,

"Yes, sir. I guess you're right."

Bane nodded once and then said in a less stern tone.

"You, too, should remain apart from this place for now."

The emphasis on the word 'now' was slight, but there.

"I will leave you now, Serpent King. Some few of us will look for what you seek and listen to what others say. We will advise you if we find anything of note."

"Thank you, Friend Bane. Your help, and your wisdom, is appreciated, as always."

Harry and Bane clasped forearms and then the big Centaur turned and moved quickly down the trail into the deep gloom. Harry turned to look at the boys, three looking frightened and deflated. Ted was looking very thoughtful. Harry decided they had had enough and turned to walk back towards the clearing. It was a quiet walk. As they entered the small clearing once more, Harry had a thought and he stopped the boys.

"Stay here."

He walked over to the spot where he had been looking originally and turned to face the center of the clearing but without taking much notice of the four boys clustered there. He let his wand wink out and then he closed his eyes and cast his awareness down into the ground, looking for some evidence of a leyline. It took some doing but he found one not too far from where he stood. Then he 'looked' above him and found that ever present mist that hung over the forest, and his awareness, like the faintest of fogs. He tried to reach for the line of energy but without the pillar as a conduit, it was a struggle.

Finally, he was able to make contact, although a bit tenuously, and could feel some of the energy feed back to him, although nothing like what he could absorb as the dragon in touch with the three connected lines beneath the great chamber. He then extended his arm and held his wand high. From the center of the clearing the boys stood staring at their teacher, to see his slight form wrapped in a nimbus of light. Not very intense but still clearing visible in the darkness.

With the wand held high Harry concentrated on trying to tease a bit of the fog to him. Above him, if someone had had the ability to see it, the fog stirred and eddied until a thin tendril spun it's way down to the tip of his wand. As contact was made the nimbus around Harry flared and began to pulse with an irregular rhythm. The boys were now open mouthed in amazement. Harry was unaware of any of this. He was concentrating on trying to catch any hint of what he thought was out there. He worked to open his mind, to expand his awareness, but he was beginning to tire.

Just as he was starting to think it was time to break it off he caught the image of a pair of red points of light just at the edge of his peripheral 'vision'. He shifted his focus immediately and just caught the outline of a large snake moving quickly away, disappearing so rapidly he couldn't be exactly sure of what he saw. For now if would have to be enough. It had been a long day and maintaining contact with both the ley line and the fog was taxing him. With a mental sigh he released his contacts and he stood breathing heavily on the edge of the clearing, the four young wizards in training regarding him warily.

"Are you alright, sir?" Ted asked.

"Just a little tired, Mr. Lupin, thank you for asking."

"What were you doing?" Ted asked.

"I was looking somewhere else for signs of that snake," Harry replied as he walked slowly toward the boys.

Ted's expression invited further explanation.

"Let's just say that not everything is visible to the eye. Sometimes you have to look further and deeper."

"Did you find anything?" his godson persisted as they began to move out of the clearing.

"Possibly. Whatever it was, it disappeared quickly but it's a start," was all Harry would say before falling silent.

In a short while they were out from under the trees, standing by Hagrid's hut in the darkness. The air was chill and the boys shivered as Harry regarded them. Finally he said,

"Alright, we are done here. I expect you to remember what Bane said and stay away from the forest. I know that an announcement is made at the start of each new year but you had better take this to heart. Contrary to opinion we do not hold sway in there. Should you be found trespassing you will be at the mercy of the Centaurs and mercy is not a quality for which they are known. And quite frankly I don't think I would be inclined to try and intercede on your behalf. Am I clear in this?"

"Yes, sir," came the subdued chorus.

"And I expect all this other nonsense to end here and now. Otherwise I may throw you back in there myself and let you fend for yourselves, is that understood?" he said.

"Yes, sir," they replied a bit more forcefully.

"Alright, off you go, straight back to your dormitories."

"Um, sir," Rutherford began, "we haven't had dinner tonight."

"Yes, it is past time for that. I suppose that should make you more appreciative of breakfast when it comes around. Get moving."

Harry watched as the four boys walked back up towards the castle, hunched in their robes against the cold. He smiled briefly, knowing that a little later in the evening, the kitchen elves would make a delivery of something or other to hold the boys over until morning, as he had previously arranged. He began to trudge slowly back to the castle himself, longing for the narrow bed in his small room, knowing he would make a devastating assault on breakfast in the morning.

It took Harry nearly two days to get over the fatigue from the search. He was right about breakfast, not to mention lunch and dinner. That Saturday he slept well into the morning, until he was awakened by two dark haired dive bombers that ran into the room and jumped up on his bed and subsequently on him. By the time Ginny came in to collect the boys, the bed was a disheveled mess, not unlike Harry. But it did set the tone for the day. There were several guests for dinner that evening, so they were sitting in the dining room. Angus had been invited by Abagail, who had also asked Gabrielle to join them.

An unexpected guest was Professor Flitwick, who had come to make use of both the Tome and Harry's library to try and unwrap an ancient charm that was uncovered by one of last year's project teams but no one was able to discern it's exact consequences. The diminutive wizard forbade anyone to try it until he was absolutely sure what it would do. Ginny made sure he and Harry weren't sitting too closely to avoid having them talk shop.

Instead, the charms professor indulged his second favorite topic when Harry was present. That is, the current state of whatever criminal investigation Harry had a hand in.

"Well, sir, from what Ron had to say in his last message they've located where the house elves were kept, at least for a period of time, and it's provided some clues as to who might be responsible, but they're keeping that information close hold for now."

"You know, Harry, I'm a bit embarrassed to say it but I've always taken great interest in these crime adventures of yours. It must have been such an exciting time when you were with the Ministry," Professor Flitwick said with a shy smile.

"To be honest, sir, it had it's moments but for the most part it was a lot of paperwork."

"Oh, don't tell me that, my boy. You'll destroy my illusions of life outside of the school," the Professor said with a laugh.

"If it's any compensation, Professor," Ginny began, "Harry spent a fair amount of his time during those years recovering from injuries suffered in the line of duty."

Gabrielle looked over at Harry from where she had been quietly listening to the back and forth. When she caught his eye she smiled and said,

"Do you meess those times, 'arry?"

"You're kidding, aren't you, Gabrielle? After the beating I took? Besides, it's not like I haven't had plenty of adventures since starting at Hogwarts," he replied with a smile. "And even if I did miss it, I'm not about to admit to it in this company."

Gabrielle and Abagail laughed while Ginny gave Harry one of her signature 'looks'. Harry just smiled and went back to devouring his dinner. That night in bed Ginny was snuggled up to Harry's side when she said,

"Seriously, Harry, do you miss being the head of the Aurors and all?"

Harry turned his head and looked at her in the marginal light of the half moon shining through their window and said,

"Luv, believe me when I say that I have no desire to resume my previous career. I love teaching and it seems I can find a little excitement when I need to," he finished with a laugh.

"I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart," she replied and then her voice dropped to a purr and said, "and you won't have to look very far when you feel that need for excitement."

And she was right.

The following afternoon Bill came out to the house to talk with Harry. As the Head of Gryffindor house he was well aware of the trip Ted Lupin had taken with Harry but he hadn't had the chance to go into any details with him. Of course he didn't arrive alone and it took nearly half an hour to get through the welcomes and mandatory playtime between Harry and the girls.

"Alright, Harry, let's hear what you came up with," Bill said as they sat in the library while everyone else was down in the playroom.

"We didn't find any physical sign of what scared Amanda Quonset. Even the traces of what I and one of the Centaurs had felt was gone."

"Remind me if you would. What exactly is it that you're looking for?" Bill asked.

"Oh, I haven't told you that?" Harry asked.

Bill shook his head slightly. Harry looked genuinely surprised that he hadn't.

"Do you recall what Dr. Medford found up here that summer before my seventh year," he said, tapping his temple.

"Sure, there was a tiny bit of Voldemort left over from when that part of him that made you his horcrux was ripped out of you," Bill replied.

"Right, well, it appears that it isn't there anymore."

"What?" Bill exclaimed as he sat upright in his chair. "Where did it go?"

"I'm not sure but it appears that whatever that thing was it might now be in ley lines and finding it's way into the forest in that fog I can sense."

"Good grief, Harry. Do you mean to say that Voldemort is floating about somewhere in the forest?" Bill said with alarm.

"I don't know if floating about is the right why to phrase it. It's all very sketchy but what it seems to be is that bit of Voldemort that I carried up here was pulled out or set free and now it's out there. Some vague essence of it manifested to Amanda and I thought I caught a hint of it when I sort of formed a bridge between a single ley line and that mist or whatever it is I can sense in the forest," Harry explained.

Bill let out a low whistle and shook his head a bit.

"Does it feel like he has any strength?" he finally asked.

"Hard to tell. It doesn't feel that way, but for all I know he could be sucking up all kinds of power from the flows and is just hiding it."

"What now?"

"Looks like I'll have to take another trip to the chamber, enter the ley lines and hunt the old snake down," Harry replied.

Bill didn't look happy at this prospect but he did nod his agreement if reluctantly.

"Well, don't get any silly ideas about going up there alone. Even as the dragon, you're pretty vulnerable when you're in contact with that pillar," Bill said. "Figure out when you want to go and we'll put something together."

"Go where, Beell?" came a quiet voice from the open library door.

Harry and Bill looked over to see Fleur standing framed in the doorway, her hands clasped together in front of her. Her gaze was steady but held none of the usual challenge.

"It would appear that Harry needs to re-enter the energy flows to track down something that has popped up in the forest," Bill replied.

"Sometheeng?" she prompted.

"Possibly the remnant of Voldemort that was locked up here," Harry replied, tapping his head.

Fleur nodded slightly and then entered the room.

"Thees theeng, eet ees dangerous, no?"

"I really don't know, Fleur. It could turn out to just be a minor annoyance, but I've never really considered anything about the old snake to be minor. I was able to get in and out the last time," he said, giving just the slightest shrug.

Fleur came to stand by her husband, her hands on his broad shoulders. She looked down at his scarred face and said,

"Eet ees right for you to go weeth 'im, Beell. And the others as well," and then she looked over at Harry and said, "And you should not wait unteel after to tell Geeny."

Which was exactly what Harry was planning to do and he was sure that Fleur knew it. He gave a slightly pained smiled and nodded. As it turned out Ginny wasn't as reasonable as Fleur was but not nearly as bad as Harry feared. She brought out her usual arguments that Harry had already done enough to protect the world and Harry countered that in this particular case he was most likely the cause of the problem. If as he suspected, his entry into the flows had enabled Voldemort's remnant to go free, he was obliged to deal with it. To this she argued that he had no idea that this would prove to be anything more than just another bogey man among many in the Dark Forest. Harry thought on this a moment and then replied that he was a member of the herd that called the Forest home and it would be unconscionable for him to leave something that had already proven to be a concern for the herd if he could do something about it.

Had Harry lost his temper the discussion would most likely have gone back and forth indefinitely. However, even the famed Weasley stubborn streak appeared to be no match for the calm, measured voice and earnest expression with which Harry laid out his arguments and countered Ginny objections.

"Alright, Harry, I give in. But please promise me that you won't go it alone and you will take Bill and the others along. I don't know what they'll be able to do but at least if you come to harm they'll be there to get you to help."

Harry decided they would make the attempt that Saturday, starting early, since he had no idea how long it would take. Along with Bill came Ron and Charlie. Fleur would come with the girls to stay at Meadow Crest, sharing the burden of waiting. Charlie had mentioned this to El but she merely nodded noncommittally. So when the four wizards were gathered in front of Hagrid's hut for the walk in, it shouldn't have been a surprise to see Eleanor walk resolutely down the path to join them. Charlie was about to say something, an objection most likely, but the look on her face was both a challenge and a warning, so he said nothing.

"Alright, lets get going," Harry said.

It was a cold morning and the gloom under the trees did little to dispel the chill. The nature of their task didn't help, but this was compounded by a general feeling of unease that permeated the forest. Harry looked around, nodding at the difference from just the week before and then said,

"I hope we aren't too late already."

No one replied. They were about half way to the entrance to the cavern when Bane and Ronin stepped out onto the trail. The little troop stopped.

"Hail, Friend Harry Potter," Ronin said.

"Hail, Serpent King," offered Bane.

"Friends Ronin, Bane," Harry began. "Hail and well met."

"You and your companions make for the cavern, Friend Harry Potter?" Ronin asked.

"Yes, I believe I need to see what can be done about that foul presence."

The Centaurs nodded.

"It was hoped as such. As you most likely have noticed, all is not well within the Forest. The herd is most uneasy."

"Would you care to join us?" Harry asked.

Both Centaurs nodded and fell in with the rest. The remainder of the journey passed without comment until the first guardian was encountered. The male Centaur that Harry did not recognize stood in the pathway. Bane approached him and after a few low words the Centaur moved off into the trees at a fast walk. The second guardian stood aside without comment as they reached the opening.

"We shall remain here, Serpent King," Ronin said, "this is wizards' work."

"Thank you. Hope to see you soon," Harry replied before stepping into the tunnel, followed by his three brothers and Eleanor.

It was a relatively quick and silent journey that concluded with all five of them standing by the opening to the pillar room. Harry took a deep breath and said,

"I have no idea whats going to happen here. I don't know if what goes on down there, or in here," he said tapping the side of his head, "will have any impact on you four. If it looks like things are going bad, get out. I don't believe there is any help you can offer me once I make contact. In fact, once I go dragon and make contact with the pillar, you may want to move closer to the entrance to the stairway."

"We'll make ourselves comfortable over by the wall there, Harry. We'll be fine. Do what you have to," Bill replied.

Ron and Charlie gave nods while El stepped up and gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him to be careful. With a smile Harry moved out to the center of the chamber floor and laid down in preparation for making the change. The rest of the party moved over to settle down at the mouth of the little alleyway that separated the structure from the sidewall of the cavern proper. Within two heartbeats Harry had made the change and the great green dragon filled up a fair portion of the chamber. He extended his tail and backed up a bit so he could place the underside against the pillar. He settled down and stretched his head out to rest on the floor.

Taking a deep mental breath he 'reached' down and pulled the third errant line into contact with the other two and felt the immediate rush of power race up through his body. Those in the chamber heard the deep bell tone ring out and the walls start to glow green. Once Harry felt he had the energy in control he pushed out with his mind and felt his consciousness merge with the energy and flow back down to the leylines. Having had the benefit of the prior exploration he knew that he needed to focus on the image of what he sought, otherwise he would just be looking at a swirling mass, or mess, of fleeting, ill formed outlines and shapes.

He called to mind the last thing he thought he saw while standing in the clearing, that of the retreating snake shape. He was presented with a rapidly changing vista of various forms of snakes, small, large, medium, in a variety of colors. Apparently whoever left the images behind had a lot of experience with snakes in various environments. Harry was sure some of the vistas he was seeing were not part of the British Isles.

His second attempt was to focus on the red dots that may have passed for eyes and he was presented with a nearly kaleidoscopic light show that dazzled the minds eye but left no lasting impression. This was an obvious dead end, because even if the old snake was out there amongst the glowing, dancing lights, he'd never be able to pick him out. Harry concentrated and sought to open his mind further as he had when he sought to assist Dr. Medford in his latest search.

For him the result was a sharpening of focus and a greater depth of field. For those outside, they were treated to a much louder, deeper peal from the 'bell' and an intensifying of the green light coming from the walls, the mottled dragon skin pattern standing out in greater relief. Charlie stood up to take a walk up and down the side of the great reptile, noticing the small rapid twitching of various muscles beneath the skin. The great eye fluttered beneath the closed lid. He returned to the others and said,

"Like watching a dog dream."

Back in the flow, Harry cast about trying to establish some point of reference or context that would allow him to get a 'hold' on the image he sought. While he often referred to Tom Riddle as 'that old snake' he knew that at the end, the wizard had achieved only a semblance of snakelike features and at his core was still of human wizard. He sought to remember what Voldemort looked like when they faced each other in the forest, just before the second killing curse he would experience struck him and ripped nearly all the essence of Voldemort from him, ending his days as one of the old demon's horcruxes. As he fixed that image in his mind, he perceived a strange manlike image receding rapidly away to his right, or what he imagined was his right.

With a push not unlike flying his broom at high speeds Harry was off, drawing on the power of the flows to boost his speed. It was the oddest sensation that he could ever recall. It was like flying, but flying in a vacuum. There was a sensation of speed but no sound of air whipping past him or tugging at his cape. There was no pressure against his face and when he turned to follow the fleeing image, there was no sense of being pushed down into the turn. That part of him that was his dragon sense could not help but appreciate how effortless this kind of 'flying' was.

The distance between himself and the image seemed be closing. He had to think about how he would confront this thing. Could it be stopped, contained or destroyed? Did the same rules apply here that did in the 'real world'? Would magic spells even function? And if not, what sort of fight would it come down to. Was he still the dragon here, was Voldemort more the snake, and how much power did he retain. Harry almost missed what happened next as he considered all this. With apparently no pause the image he was pursuing doubled back and raced toward Harry at high speed. He swerved at the last moment and felt a slight twinge along what he perceived to be his right side as they passed each other. It appeared that they could inflict pain on each other, even here.

Harry course corrected and there was no sensation of turning, he was simply going the other way nearly instantaneously. The Voldemort image did not make another attack but dashed off once more and Harry was in immediate pursuit. As a precaution he tried to produce a blast of dragon plasma. What he got was a spear like jet of pure white that raced out in front of him along his line of vision. It missed the image he was pursuing by some distance since he wasn't focused on it when the tried his experiment. Apparently, it did find a target and appeared to impact on a bit of landscape that was just a blur. The report from that impact sent vibrations back through the flow that Harry could feel through his being.

What it did in the chamber was a bit more alarming. The green glow of the walls flashed white and the whole cavern shuddered. Harry's companions looked at each other and then around the chamber. More than one looked towards the opening to the stairwell as if to measure the distance. Meanwhile, Harry continued his grim pursuit of his quarry. When the plasma 'spear' flashed by it, the image veered quickly to the left at nearly ninety degrees and then just as quickly doubled back to race back at Harry. He fired off another bolt but was still trying to get the aiming right. Apparently, the slightest mental flinch would cause it to go well off it's target. It did, however, cause the image to dart to the side, allowing Harry to correct as if he was barrel rolling his broom and coming back around behind the now rapidly fleeing image. The second bolt caused another flare in the chamber and the walls shuddered again. Still they didn't head for the exit. Had they known what was going on inside Harry's head they may have reconsidered.

Harry was growing tired of the pursuit. He was also growing angry. This pesky little image of his once great nemesis was, for lack of a better word, getting on his nerves. He sensed that there was no real power here, otherwise it would have made a greater effort to destroy him by now. Instead it was leading him on a chase through an environment where neither seemed like they would tire, nor could he find a way to corner the thing and bring the chase to an end. He was then hit with a pair of memories. The first was the time he pursued the Quidditch snitch through a blinding snowstorm with his eyes closed. The second was his first act as an Auror and that was to pursue and capture the wizard known as 'the source' which he did using the same technique and then setting his broom bristles aflame with his wand.

Trying to shunt the anger aside for the moment, Harry concentrated on that radar like sense and when he did the image of the Voldemort thing came into sharp focus and his own 'movements' to keep it firmly before him became automatic. He 'pushed' behind him as he did when he flew and he saw the gap begin to dwindle almost immediately. But the anger would not stay down and Harry could feel himself drawing massive amounts of energy from the flow. He didn't care. This was going to end, now.

Outside things were getting a bit more dramatic. The pulsing green glow was now steady and intense. The peals of the bell had now taken on a steady bass drone as if someone was holding down the lowest key of the world's biggest pipe organ. This set up a sympathetic vibration in the chamber that was really worrisome to the four. Over the sound Bill yelled,

"I think this is what Harry was talking about. Let's get to the stairwell."

Ron looked as if to object but Bill cut him off.

"Not now, Ron. Consider it an order from the Chief."

Harry's best friend nodded reluctantly and the four legged it across the floor behind the structure and got into the bottom of the stairwell. The sound and vibrations were intensifying. For Harry the final moment had approached. The apparition was swerving madly but just as with the snitch, somewhere in Harry's mind the calculations were being made and he tensed for the moment of release. Without really thinking about it Harry let loose with everything he had.

Whereas the first shots had been spears of white, this blast was a massive jet that seemed to transcend the light spectrum. It struck the apparition for behind and left nothing in it's wake. There was no sudden explosion, no great flare of light as the last bit of Tom Riddle was obliterated. The overwhelming force of what Harry released simply dissolved whatever there had been and it was now no longer there. The release left Harry feeling a little disoriented and he 'slowed' himself so he could regain his bearings. His first thought was he hoped he hadn't damaged anything else that might have been floating around out there. Perhaps his focus on the Voldemort image kept the rest out of harm's way.

As he gathered his thoughts, he noticed he didn't feel nearly as fatigued as he thought he should. After a moments consideration he thought he could feel energy flowing towards him so perhaps he was able to recharge while he remained in the flow. While he tarried considering this, a great deal was occurring beyond and around the bulk of the great green dragon. When Harry released the massive blast of energy, the impact on the chamber was equally as large.

The entire space flared an incandescent white and fortunately for the four companions they were already moving upward and were shielded from most of the glare. Additionally, the entire roof of the forward chamber above where Harry lay heaved upward, with quite a bit of material getting pushed up and out as if a massive creature had stood up and pushed it's way through the rock. Some had fallen in, to include the wooden bridge that the Centaurs had built and maintained.

Further afield the entire forest had pulsed first green and then white, as if the mist or fog had suddenly flared with energy. The four companions found themselves braced against the walls at the top of the stairs looking out at far more sunlight than which they should. Bill was the first to speak.

"Good lord, what has he gone and done this time?"

They made their way warily toward what was now an open pit with only a remnant of the tunnel walls around the sides. Peering down they could still see the bulk of the dragon, the floor littered with rubble.

"Can you see if he's alright, Charlie," Ron asked, his voice full of concern.

"Not from up here. Someone float me down so I can check on him. It looks like the sides of the structure are blocked," Charlie replied.

Bill took out his wand and in a moment Charlie was on the floor looking Harry over as he moved amongst the rubble, his wand augmenting the weak sunlight. After he had made a full turn around the dragon, climbing over the tail in the process he called up.

"He's still breathing. There might be a few bruises but that's all I can tell from here. I'll stay down here until he wakes up."

In the meantime a group of Centaurs were now gathered at the far end of the opening in the floor. They looked down but offered no question or comment. The dragon finally started to stir. Harry thought he had spent enough time recuperating and pushed his way back to the dragon. He let his tail fall away from the pillar and he opened his eyes. The amount of light was a bit of a surprise. He lifted his head and looked around seeking the others. When he saw Charlie he lowered his head towards his brother and ground out,

"What happened?"

"Good question. You pretty much blew the roof off the place, although I have no idea how," Charlie answered with a crooked smile.

Harry scanned about the chamber, noticing all the rock and wood debris. Then he looked up at the much larger opening in the ceiling and the faces looking down at him from either side. He raised himself up on his haunches and stuck his head out of the opening. The Centaurs backed away beyond the opening of the original tunnel. He looked about and saw how the tunnel was now a walled path open to the sky. He also noticed the amount of loose stone around the edges.

"Back away," he growled as he laid his great foreclaws on the edge of the opening and pulled the loose stone away to fall below.

At his warning, Charlie had retreated into one of the floor level rooms and watched the demolition. After adding a few more tons of debris to that on the floor, Harry looked back at Bill and the others and said,

"Climb on," and then he presented his neck to their edge.

With slightly wide eyes, the three climbed aboard and Harry shifted them over to the other side. Then he dropped back down into the chamber and told Charlie the same thing. He lifted his brother up and out of the chamber and then the great head disappeared again. When they looked back down they saw the slightly built wizard that was Harry to the greater world slowly rising up out of the depths, his wand in hand. When he settled down next to the others he had a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry about the mess."

The forest rang to the sound of laughter.


	70. Chapter 70

Professor Potter, Chapter 70

Harry sat on a stray boulder facing a fairly large gathering of Centaurs as well as his three Weasley brothers and Eleanor. The facial expressions of the members of the herd were at once respectful and concerned. He had explained, as best he could, what his suspicions had been and what he discovered once he entered the energy flows. While his description was done in his best professorial tones, his audience sat transfixed, although several visibly started when he related the last blast that obliterated the last vestige of Tom Riddle. This reaction was not confined to the four legged denizens of the forest.

Apparently the outward consequences of his actions had attracted quite a bit of attention. In addition to wrecking the tunnel and dropping most of the ceiling of the forward section of the chamber, the massive discharge of magical energy had reverberated through the entire forest. Every flying creature had taken wing, resulting in a living cloud that hovered over the forest for more than half an hour. The Centaurs reported that a number of large, older trees that were past their prime had toppled, fortunately without causing death or injury.

It was also related that while the forest had become deathly quiet, the oppressive feeling of malevolent observation had disappeared. The elder stood opposite Harry, his expression serious, but composed.

"It would appear, Serpent King, that your efforts have had the intended results, although it could be said that

there were some unintended consequences," he said.

Harry offered one of his signature crooked smiles.

"I'm afraid you're right, Elder, as it usually happens. I'm just relieved to know that no one was hurt. I can only imagine what those at the castle must be thinking about now," he replied.

Ron laughed and said,

"Probably something along the lines of 'what the bloody hell is Prof Potter up to now?"

The humans laughed while there was significant snorting among the Centaurs although several looked shocked. Harry shook his head and said,

"That's probably the least of what they are saying. Anyway, I apologize for any consternation I may have caused the herd, but at least we seem to be free of the old snake once and for all. Now we just need to figure out what to do with this mess," he said gesturing over his shoulder.

"Be not concerned, Friend Harry Potter. We will erect a temporary cover to preserve the site from the worst of the weather. That will allow time for a more permanent repair to be planned."

"Again, my thanks, Honored Elder. The assistance of the herd is much appreciated."

When Harry and his companions emerged from the forest a while later, he found a number of members of the faculty and student body gathered around Hagrid's hut. They were bundled in cloaks against the Autumn chill. The absence of Professor McGonagall was cause for both relief and concern for Harry. It would postpone whatever dressing down she might give him for disrupting the school but it also indicated that her health wasn't that good. It appeared that Hagrid was heading up the group.

"Harry, glad I am ta see ya. We was gettin' ready to come in after ya," Hagrid said.

"Sorry about that, Hagrid. I didn't realize we were going to make all that noise."

"We?" Ron asked dramatically.

"Alright, all that noise I made," Harry amended with a laugh.

"Just what was it you were doing in there, Harry?" Professor Flitwick piped.

"Well, sir, perhaps this isn't the place to discuss it in full, but I can say that we dealt with the unfriendly presence in the forest rather conclusively and I don't think we'll be seeing any signs of large snakes."

"That thing I saw is gone, Professor?" Amanda Quonset asked from the edge of the crowd.

"I'm fairly confident that it is, Ms. Quonset."

The seventh year witch looked visibly relieved. He looked at the rest of the assembled group and said,

"I apologize if the events of the morning caused any undue excitement. For the moment I think it's safe to say that things are back to normal in the forest and there's nothing to be concerned about, well, anymore so than usual. I suggest everyone go back up to the castle and get warm. We can discuss details in class next week. If Hagrid is willing and has the kettle on, we can hold an impromptu faculty meeting and I can tell you what I know."

While the invitation was extended to his companions, only Bill chose to remain. Ron wanted to get home to Hermione and Rose and let them know all was well, and Eleanor and Charlie promised they'd stop at Meadow Crest to let the others know what had occurred. Avoiding any reference to the dragon, Harry explained his journey into the flows and the pursuit of the shadow of Voldemort. The reaction of his colleagues ranged from raised eyebrows to heads shaken in amazement.

"Can anyone explain how such a thing is even possible?" Professor Babbling asked.

Everyone looked at Harry and he just shrugged and smiled.

"Sorry. I know how to make it happen but at this point I have no more understanding of it than anyone else. But I'm working on it."

The meeting broke up shortly thereafter and with thanks to Hagrid for his hospitality, Harry and Bill left the school and took the trip back to Meadow Crest via the Floo Network. Thanks to Charlie and El preparing the way, the reception Harry received was much more low keyed than what might have been expected otherwise. He got a short, but intense, hug from Ginny, who smiled through teary eyes. His two sons followed suit, Albus only vaguely aware that something interesting was going on, while James had some idea that what his father had been up to was worthy of concern.

Fleur, of course, took the time to hold his face in her hands, looking for signs of any problems in those expressive green eyes. Apparently reaching a point of satisfying any concern she might have had, gave him the customary three kisses and then wrapped him in a warm lingering hug, which he gladly returned. Then it was time to convene in the living room for a telling of events. Harry took his customary place by the hearth and the rest spread out in chairs and couches. Just before he began, Ron and Hermione, with Rose, arrived.

"No offense to Ron but I want to hear this all first hand, Harry," Hermione said as she settled onto one end of a couch.

So for the third time that day, but for the first with all the details, he described what had occurred. He finished by saying,

"So, that's everything. It looks like we are finally done with Riddle, once and for all, and the mystery that is the cavern and the energy flows deepens. I'll have to take some time and think about how far I want to pursue the investigation."

"How do you mean, Harry?" Charlie asked.

"Well, Charlie, I have no idea what kind of effect over time immersing myself in the flows will have. Do I leave something behind? Will it change me in some way? I know from my days in muggle school that some of their scientists found out the hard way the dangerous effects of the things they messed about with. I don't want that happening to me."

"I'm very happy to hear you say that, sweetheart," Ginny said dryly.

As Harry looked around the room he noticed that Victoire was regarding him with narrowed eyes. He was pretty sure she was evaluating his every word, looking for some violation of their agreement that he take better care of himself. He also noticed that from her place in her mother's lap that Rose was watching him intently, but he hadn't the faintest idea why.

"So is that it for the chamber this year, Harry?" Abagail asked.

"I'd think so, little one. The weather will only get worse and I'm afraid I've made rather a mess of the place. The Elder said the herd would make arrangements to keep the worst of the weather out of the place and I guess in the Spring I'll round up a group of older students and have them levitate out the debris that fell in. Then we'll see where we take it from there. Looks like I get to be just a regular Hogwarts Professor for a while."

The looks he got contained varying degrees of disbelief and he couldn't help but laugh. As it turned out, the remaining days of school before the holiday break were pretty quiet. There wasn't so much as a peep out of the three first year Slytherins since their return from the forest. They kept to themselves and offered only the briefest answers when in class with Harry. Without any antagonism, Ted had no call for disruptive behavior and managed to hurt himself only twice. Once when a spell backfired in charms class, reminding his godfather of Seamus Finnegan at his finest, and the other when he fell down half a flight of stairs leaving the stadium after a particularly exciting match and he was too busy discussing the various plays to pay attention to where he was putting his feet.

While it wasn't known to the faculty and staff, it was generally accepted amongst the student body that everybody better walk lightly around Professor Potter. While it hadn't been widely discussed by the three Slytherins or Ted, enough information about their time in the forest had emerged to make it clear that Harry had had his fill of the recent 'troubles' and wasn't going to put up with any more. Combined with the events and aftermath of his efforts to rid the forest of Tom Riddle's shadow, the student body was convinced that the generally good natured, physically unimposing Professor was not to be trifled with.

In fact, shortly after the events in the forest, an impromptu meeting of all the House Prefects was held and it was decided that the weeks leading up to the break had better be very placid indeed. The discussions that followed with the students in the house common rooms were filled with dire predictions of the hideous fates awaiting anyone that provoked Professor Potter, or any of the other faculty for that matter.

For his part Harry appeared blissfully unaware of what was going on beneath the surface as he concentrated on his Transfiguration classes and working with the sixth years and their projects. Word had arrived late in November that the Minister had decided to enter into a formal agreement with Hogwarts to establish the research agency modeled closely on Harry's suggestions. It was decided to wait until after the New Year to begin the process of standing up the operation and making the first call for proposals. Harry's roll was described as 'principal adviser' with little in the way of actual administrative tasks, which suited him just fine.

A brief bit of excitement did intrude on the otherwise calm period leading up to the holidays when Kreacher ushered Eddy Hillchurch into the kitchen around mid morning on the first Saturday in December. He was carrying a familiar shape wrapped in brown paper.

"Mornin' to ya, Professor."

"Good morning, Eddie, and haven't we had this discussion before?" Harry asked with a sardonic smile.

"Oh, ay, Harry, but after my career at Hogwarts, to be on a first name basis with one o' the Professors is somethin' to be savored," Eddie said with a laugh. "But to more important things, I got somethin' for ya."

Harry was pretty sure he knew what it was and his eyes were bright. The word had spread around the house and as he was beginning to work on the string that was holding the paper in place, the rest of the family hurried into the kitchen. Pieces of string quickly landed on the table and the paper was pulled off and cast aside.

"Oh, my," was all Harry said at first.

Ginny's eyes lit up at the sight of the customized Firebolt. It had been agreed that Eddie would start with a standard Firebolt, since flying a broom with his own name on it seemed inappropriate to Harry. One needed to be quite familiar with the Firebolt to appreciate what Eddie had done. Most obvious was the degree to which the broom simply shined. The finish on the handle didn't just gleam, it sparkled. Unlike the paint sometimes used on muggle vehicles, the effect wasn't the result of reflective particles in the finish. Eddie had found a way to cause the otherwise clear finish to give off brief flashes when the stick was moved a certain way or held up to the light just so. The brass of the footrest and band that held the bristles in place was likewise treated so that it's mirrorlike finish seemed to dance and shimmer depending on how the light struck it. Speaking of the bristles, Harry had never seen such a finely matched and shaped collection of twigs in his life. There wasn't a bump to be seen or a bend out of place. They were sized to provide a smooth taper that ended in the tip of one twig exactly in the center of the tail.

As Harry held it he realized he was getting light headed because he wasn't breathing. After taking in a deep breath he exclaimed.

"Eddie, this is magnificent. I'd never have thought a broom could look like this. You aren't a technician, you're an artist."

"Awful kind o' ya to say so, Harry."

"He's right, Eddie," Ginny said, barely above a whisper. "This is incredible. How is it that Nimbus isn't putting something like this into production?"

"They figure it wouldn't pay for 'em to do it. They're aware o' what I can do but seem happy enough for me to buy a broom from 'em and then resell it with the modifications," he replied.

"Personally, I think they're crazy but right now I don't really care. I can't thank you enough, Eddie, it's beautiful. And you, Ginny, for getting it started. I can't wait to try it out."

"Somehow I don't think the meadow is going to be big enough for you to test it out, Harry," Abagail said with a grin.

"I think you're right, little one. Hmmm," Harry thought for a moment and then said, "I think I have an idea but I'm going to need to dig out my cold weather flying gear."

Kreacher had been standing off to the side and he said,

"Kreacher will fetch Master Harry's flying clothes at once. Kreacher will bring them to Master Harry's room."

"Thanks, Kreacher," Harry managed to get in before the aging elf disappeared.

"Just what have you in mind, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I know a place where I can have lots of flying room without much in the way of muggles around."

It was shortly after noon when Harry Apparated into the front garden of Shell Cottage, dressed in his old Gryffindor winter flying outfit, holding his new broom. He thought of just hopping on the broom but something told him he should knock on the door and pay his respects. When the door swung open he saw a very surprised looking Fleur dressed in a plain dress, her long silver blond hair pulled back in a simple pony tail. Harry had a fleeting thought about how good she managed to look without any apparent effort.

The surprise quickly gave way to joy as she stepped forward to catch him up in a hug while exclaiming,

"'arry! What a surprise. Did you fly out 'ere?" she said as she gave him a final squeeze before stepping back.

"No, Fleur, I Disapparated. Eddie Hillchurch finally finished my new broom and I wanted someplace to test it out that had lots of space and little or no muggles to see me. Plus I thought Bill might like to see it," he said as he held up the new broom.

"It is tres magnifique, 'arry. But I am sorry. Beell ees up at school steell. He ees referee for the last club match."

"Oh, okay. Well maybe by the time I get back he'll be here. If this broom performs half as good as it looks I'll be up there for a while," he said with a grin.

Fleur smiled and then cocked an eyebrow at him and said,

"But before you zoom off eento the clouds you weell say 'ello to your nieces, yes?"

"Of course. How could I not," he replied with a grin.

Fleur hooked his arm and drew Harry into the cottage, directly into the living room where the two girls were sitting on the floor looking up at their uncle expectantly. Harry carefully leaned the new Firebolt against the wall and held out his arms and said,

"Come here, my girls, say hello to your uncle."

Both Victoire and Dominique were giving Harry strange looks until he realized what was going on. He had been wearing his goggles up on his forehead plus a set of ear muffs in preparation for the cold flight. He pulled them off and said,

"This any better?"

Both girls brightened and rushed to get swept up in Harry's arms.

"You looked funny, Uncle 'arry," Victoire said matter of factly.

"Well, Miss Vee, I'm going to be flying and it will be cold up there. I need these to keep my head from freezing up and falling off," he said straight faced.

Victoire eyes got very wide and she said,

"Your head could fall off? You promised no more head hurts, Uncle 'arry."

Harry laughed and leaned forward to rub noses with his niece.

"I'm only teasing you, Vee. These will just help keep my head warm and comfortable."

The little girl gave him that narrowed eyed look of hers and she said,

"When you're done flying you have to come see me, Uncle 'arry, so I can see that your head is alright."

"Yes, ma'am. And how about you, Domi? Do you need to check on my head?"

"No, unc' 'arry. Y' he'd g'd," she replied as she patted his unruly hair.

Harry laughed, then gave each girl a big kiss on the cheek and set them back on the floor. Looking over at Fleur he said,

"It's nice to know at least one of you trusts me not to hurt myself."

"I always trusted you, 'arry. Eet ees the rest of the world that I do not trust," she said with a smile and then with a last hug he went back outside and mounted the broom.

Within seconds of kicking off he could feel the difference in the broom. While he didn't notice any increase in acceleration, the feel of the broom was noticeably smoother. He couldn't wait to put it through it's paces, but first he wanted to see what kind of speed he could get out of it. He gained altitude until he was just above the low cloud cover. Pointing the broom south he stretched out over the handle and began pushing. Again, there was no kick or shudder, just the sensation of constant pressure on the soles of his boots as the broom continued to accelerate.

The sound of the wind rushing past his head reached thunderous levels. He wanted to shout with exhilaration but was afraid the wind would peel him off the broom or blow his boots clean off his feet. Instead he pulled the broom into a turn. It wasn't a particularly tight maneuver but to Harry it felt as smooth as butter. He continued to pull the broom into an ever decreasing radius turn, creating a tightening spiral until the pressure of the turn started getting uncomfortable and he took that as a signal to pull out and slow things down. Next he tried a series of climbs and dives and he continued to marvel at just how smooth the broom handled. Whatever magic Eddie worked on the thing it was worth much more than what he was charging. He lost track of the time but decided it was time to return to Shell Cottage when he noticed the light fading as the afternoon waned. Had anyone been outside when he touched down they would have seen him grinning nearly ear to ear. However, someone must have been paying attention because the front door swung open before he reached it.

Standing in the doorway was Abagail. Her expression was a combination of relief and annoyance. Before she had a chance to say anything, Harry closed the gap between them and gave her a tight one arm hug.

"Oh, don't look at me like that, little one. You would have known if I had gotten into any trouble."

"I wasn't worried about you, Harry. I was hoping to have gotten a chance to try out your new broom. But you hogged it all to yourself and now it's too dark," she said from the arc of his arm.

Her affronted tone of voice was more than Harry could handle and he broke out in loud laughter. Another laugh could be heard from the living room and then Bill called out.

"Come on in, Harry, and bring the new broom with you."

Harry kept his arm around Abagail's shoulder and walked into the small main room. Bill was sitting on the couch, his daughters playing at his feet. Fleur was sitting on a chair watching the two enter with a bemused smile.

"So, how was it? It looks amazing," Bill said.

"It was an incredible ride," he replied as he let go of Abagail and held the broom out to Bill.

Abagail went and perched on the arm of Fleur's chair while Harry sat on the other end of the small couch. Vee and Dominique abandoned their toys on the floor and scrambled up to sit on Harry's lap. Harry smiled and turned his head from side to side and then said,

"See, ladies, it's still there and no damage."

Victoire just shook her head and then snuggled into her uncle with her sister quickly following suit. He looked over at Bill who was closely examining the broom.

"This is an amazing piece of work, Harry. Not just the craftsmanship, but the ideas behind it. How did it handle?"

"Like a dream, Bill. I don't think it's really any faster or quicker than a standard Firebolt, but it's amazing how smoothly it flies. You know how in a tight high speed turn you can get some chatter? Well, not with this. I had it pulled into a tightening spiral and I had to pull out because the pressure got to be too much but the broom never gave any indication it was having trouble," Harry said with a laugh. "This is certainly no broom for the novice. They could get into real trouble real fast."

"Why do you say that, Harry? I'd think a broom like that would be easier for a novice to handle," Abagail said.

"Not really, little one. Having the broom buck or shudder can be a signal to the flier that something is about to go wrong and give him or her a chance to back off. Without that they could get into trouble too deeply without the ability to get out of it. Like getting flipped off the broom or blacking out, those sorts of things."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about that. I guess my flying never got that close to the edge. Maybe I won't be in such a hurry to ask to try it out," she replied.

"Well if you don't mind, I'd like to have a go," Bill said.

"It's not too dark?" Harry asked.

"I've done plenty of night flying, Harry. No worries, plus I'm only going to go out a short ways and do a lap or two. Shouldn't take more than a few moments."

"Sure, go ahead."

Bill was still wearing most of what he had on while refereeing and just had to throw on his heavy clock. With a wink to Harry and a quick kiss for Fleur he was outside in a flash. The only sound to indicate he was taking off was a brief 'whoooop' that faded into the darkening sky. Harry looked over at Fleur and Abagail. The older blonde was looking up at the diminutive black haired girl and said,

"No matter 'ow old they get, they weell steell be leetle boys at heart."

"I think you're right, Fleur. But it does make them kind of cute, doesn't it," Abagail replied as she looked over at Harry

He gave her a bit of a mock scowl and then began to play hugs and tickles with his two nieces and anything else that might have been said was cut short by the giggles and shrieks. Bill's few moments turned into nearly half an hour and when he came through the door his face was red from the wind and chill, but the scarred face was lit up with an almost maniacal smile.

"Good lord, Harry, that was amazing. I knew the Firebolts were fast from having flown yours but this thing is leaps and bounds beyond. You were right about the smoothness. And you get the feeling you could stand it on it's nose if you wanted to. Eddie is a genius," Bill enthused. "I can't wait to see you fly in a match with this thing."

Harry nodded and said,

"I'll have to talk to Charlie and El to see what they can set up."

Harry and Abagail got home just in time for dinner. Ginny was tolerant of their tardiness and only extracted a promise of her own test flight, which wasn't much of a concession since Harry was going to make the offer anyway. James listened intently to Harry's description and wondered when he would be able to fly the broom. Harry smiled at his son and said,

"I think we'll have to leave that up to Madame Hooch to decide, my boy. Your mother and I might prove too overprotective and have you wait until your old and gray and wrapped in pillows."

Ginny and Abagail laughed while James gave his father a look that suggested he was daft. Albus just observed the back and forth and went back to his dinner. Later that evening, Harry was sitting in his favorite chair reading while Ginny worked on her journal. She had started the work of editing the earlier notes and observations. A thought occurred to Harry and he looked over and asked,

"Any word on how Lavender is doing?"

"Mum sent a message this morning, in fact. Physically she's doing well. She's making real progress with the exercises and such. Susan Bones has been stopping by several times a week to check up on her and has even gone along on some of the therapy sessions."

"That sounds promising. We need to get over there and see her. I'm surprised you haven't been," he said.

"It's not from lack of trying, Harry. I've asked and asked and asked, but she refuses to see anyone but Susan. Mum's a little worried, in fact," Ginny replied, turning around in the chair to look at Harry.

"I don't understand."

"Mum isn't sure but she thinks Lavender had grown so used to the idea of being a crippled old witch that now that life might be taking a different turn, she's scared and doesn't want other people to see it. Plus she still has the facial scars and is very self conscious about it. Apparently all those years of isolation have taken their toll and she's having trouble adjusting. Mum is doing what she can, which is quite a lot, but there is a lot of deal with," Ginny said.

"Gee, now I feel kind of bad that I started all this. It must be a lot for Mum to deal with," he replied softly.

"Are you joking, sweetheart?" Ginny said as she got up out of her chair.

She walked over and came to stand in front of Harry and reached out and took his book from his hand and tossed it on the couch. She sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Looking into those now sad green eyes, she said,

"You have done a wonderful thing here. You are giving an old friend a chance at a new life, to get past a serious injury and reestablish relationships with many other old friends. Yes, she's having difficulties but imagine what it would be like had you not intervened. Remember what the doctor said about a wheelchair and the pain. And yes, she's a tough nut for Mum to crack, but who better to do it? You know Mum, she lives for this sort of thing," Ginny said as she cradled Harry's head. "I can just see her, sitting in the living room with Lavender. The tea on the small table, doing some sewing or knitting or whatever, a few words spoken here, a few more there, slowly working her way to the core of the problem and then dispensing her wisdom, getting it all straightened out."

She took Harry's face in her hands and said, looking straight at him.

"You did what you needed to do, my love. You got things started and now you have to rely on the help of others to get the job done. And right now you have the help of a real expert. Don't worry, Mum will see her straight."

With that, she leaned down and kissed his lips, softly at first, but then more insistently and Harry responded. Later, when they walked arm and arm down the hallway to their room, their night was just getting started.

Finally, the last day of school before the holiday break arrived and Harry sat before his last class, seventh years working towards their Transfiguration NEWT. Harry was perched on his stool regarding the handful of faces in front of him. He smiled a bit and said,

"I trust you will all have a wonderful break. You certainly deserve it. Not only have you been working hard on your advanced Transfigurations, you've been under the considerable strain of trying not to unduly upset a certain Professor."

He had to suppress a laugh at the expressions on the faces looking back at him. Rapid eye blinking, startled head movements and pursed lips all gave lie to the otherwise stolid expressions and rigid postures.

"I suppose there are a small handful of students who would be justified in being concerned, but it needn't be a general worry. So do me, and yourselves, a favor. Go home, relax, enjoy the holiday and all it has to offer and come back ready to be Hogwarts students, with all that entails. Oh, and do me a favor, and spread the word on the train. Quite frankly, it's been a little too quiet around here. Alright? Good, on your way."

For many students, it was the best ride on the Express they could ever remember. Harry, of course, took the Floo Network home and brought Ted along for the ride. After the first term the boy had had he thought sparing him the long train trip would be a bit of an early Christmas present. The welcome Ted got at Meadow Crest went a long way to further improve his mood. He suffered Ginny and Abagail's hugs and kisses with good grace and spent some time rough housing with James and Albus. Even Snuffles got in a lick or two.

He stayed for lunch and did an admirable job of keeping up with Harry through the first plate and part of a second but couldn't get any further. By mid afternoon, a bit sleepy with a full stomach, he headed for home with the promise of seeing them all at the Burrow for Christmas day. Harry spent the rest of the day helping his wife and daughter decorate the house, playing with his sons and the dog and generally getting into the Christmas spirit. After dinner the whole family sat in the living room by the roaring fire, the adults enjoying some tea while the boys played a game of gob stones under the watchful eye of their big sister.

"So, Harry, you knew the whole time what was going on with the students?" Abagail asked.

"It was pretty obvious, little one. Anywhere I showed up, the conversation would die out. Then the looks I got as I walked down a corridor. And let me ask you this, when was the last time you saw an entire classroom of Hogwarts students sitting in place, their hands folded on the desk in front of them, when the Professor walked in? Day in and day out?" he asked, his eyebrows raised.

Abagail couldn't help by giggle.

"That does make it pretty obvious. I would have loved to have seen that last class when you told them to lighten up," she said.

"It was kind of funny to see their faces. I mean I like peace and quiet as much as the next person, but it was starting to get on my nerves."

The conversation was interrupted when James yelled after catching a squirt of water to the face. Harry thought it was a good thing the boys were still using the starter set of stones. Later, when the boys had been put to bed and Abagail had retired to her rooms, he and Ginny sat together on the couch, looking out the big window at the night sky. A light fall of snow had started. Ginny was pushed up against his side, his arm around her shoulders and her legs pulled up on the couch.

"Hmmm, this is nice, Harry. It reminds me of when we sat on the benches up at Hogwarts, just looking out over the lake."

"Yes, although tonight I prefer to be inside with a nice warm fire to help take care of my other side."

She laughed as she burrowed in tighter.

"So, what's going to happened on Christmas? With Lavender, I mean," Harry asked.

"I'm not sure, sweetheart. Mum is keeping fairly tight lipped about it, but she did let something slip that leads me to believe she'll be there, at least for part of it."

"Well, that will be good. I'm anxious to see what progress she's made," he said.

They sat on the couch for a while longer, seeing how the snow was picking up in intensity. It looked like it would be a white Christmas. After a bit longer, Ginny lifted her head off of Harry's shoulder and placed several soft kisses on this cheek and then whisper something in his ear. He turned to look at her with a smile and a nod. She unfolded from his side and stood up, taking hold of his hand and led him from the living room to their bedroom. It would be several more hours before they would find sleep.

As had become tradition, the Potter family arrived in the rear garden of the Burrow early in the afternoon of Christmas Eve. The snow that had fallen several days before had been tamped down to make it easier on the magical arrivals. And as was tradition, Ginny simply swung the door in and shouted,

"MUM! DAD! We're here."

Harry and Abagail shared looks and head shakes before herding the boys into the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hurried into the room to greet their children and grandchildren. The bundles were taken and placed on the kitchen table and hugs shared. As coats and cloaks were hung on pegs, Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry and made a meaningful gesture with her head towards the living room. Harry nodded and moved aware from the tight knot of family and walked into the spacious living room, warmed by a roaring wood fire. Sitting on the couch that had served him as a sick bed on several occasions sat Lavender. Her hands were folded in her lap, her face resolute, the scars obscured by a fall of hair. Her cane rested against the side of the couch.

"Hello, Lavender, how are you getting on?" Harry asked softly.

"Fairly well, Harry. I suppose I should show you," she replied.

With on hand on the arm of the couch, she unfolded from the cushions and slowly rose to a standing position. She stood there facing him, her arms at her side, a strange little smile on her face.

"I haven't been able to do that without a cane in I don't know how long. In fact, I don't need the cane except to steady myself going up and down stairs," she added, taking slow steady steps toward Harry as if to demonstrate.

As Harry watched, the mask of calm she wore began to crumble and as she got within reach, her arms came up to wrap around his shoulders and she pulled him to her. He brought his arms around her back and held her as she buried her face in his shoulder. He could feel the sobs vibrate through her body and he could hear the mumbled 'thank you' over and over. During this time Ginny slowly approached and without really looking Lavender reached out and pulled her in until they were sharing a three way embrace. The rest of the family remained in the kitchen, not wanting to intrude. Finally, Lavender relented slightly and brought her head up so she could look at her two friends and benefactors. With a sniff and a smile, she said with a laugh,

"Well, that was a bit embarrassing."

"Why's that?" Harry asked.

"Well, for one thing, I've gotten your beautiful sweater all damp."

The three laughed and this served as a signal for the others to approach. Abagail stepped forward and Lavender quietly mouthed the words,

"You were right."

The diminutive witch laughed and added her own brief hug. Harry then introduced his two sons. James smiled a bit and said hello but seemed a bit reserved. Harry lifted up Albus who had been regarding Lavender from the kitchen where his grandmother had been holding him. Now that he was closer he reached out a hand toward her face.

"Albus," his father warned.

"No, it's alright, Harry," Lavender said.

The boy continued to reach and brought the tips of his fingers to gently touch the scar tissue. Then he looked right into Lavender's eyes and asked,

"Hurt?"

"No, sweetheart, not for a long time."

"'s good."

Lavender's smile widen and she held her hands out and said,

"May I?"

"You sure it's alright?" Harry asked her.

"It should be as long as I don't move around."

Harry held Albus out and Lavender took hold of the boy and held him to her in a hug and then settled him in the crook of her arm over her good hip and looked at him.

"You look so much like your father when he gets that serious look on his face. I always thought it was when he was his most handsome."

Harry's eyebrows shot up and Albus smiled a bit. Ginny and Abagail had to suppress laughs as Harry's face colored.

"What do you say, young fellow, that I give you back to your father and I get settled on the couch and you come join me for a while?"

"'right," Albus said.

Everyone took this as a signal to get situated in the living room for a bit of a chat. Molly retrieved a large tea tray from the kitchen and brought it in. Once they were settled in, Lavender looked around the room and took a deep breath.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation and an apology. To you most of all, Harry," she said, while waving off his emerging protest. "Yes, yes, I know. But for now just listen," she said, absently brushing the hair on Albus' head as he sat next to her on her good side. "It didn't take long for me to realize that the surgery was going to be successful. My mobility was so much better and the pain was subsiding quickly. The therapist even noticed that my back was starting to straighten out because I could walk better. But instead of being happy I began to panic. My whole adult life had been spent in isolation behind the facade of the twisted old crone telling her fortunes and casting horoscopes. Now I was faced with the idea that I could do so much more and I was terrified at the prospects. So I hid here, relying on the generosity and good will of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They really are remarkable, you know. They barely knew me, except as the girl that was chasing their son around for that time and here they opened their house and lives to me," she said with an almost shy smile at the older couple.

"But with great patience and gentle words they got me to see that I didn't have to try and do something more, unless I wanted to. That there wouldn't be any pressure on me in return for this amazing gift. It makes it easier to face the future and the panic isn't there, waiting to emerge," she finished with a smile.

"Well, you're wrong about two things, I'm afraid, Lavender," Harry said seriously.

"What?" she replied with some alarm.

"Firstly, it wasn't a gift. It was a fulfillment of an obligation on our part for what you did and the injuries you suffered. And secondly, I will be making one demand in exchange."

"What's that?"

"I'll demand that we all see a lot more of you and of that smile from now on," he said, with a straight face.

The room echoed with the sound of held breath being released. Harry's expression and tone had been such that the others in the room had no idea what to expect. Lavender fixed Harry with a narrowed eye look and then shifted her attention to Abagail, who sat next to Harry on the couch.

"Would you, please? I'm not quite that mobile, yet."

"Gladly," Abagail replied and then swatted Harry with a pillow right in the side of the head.

Harry got a 'look' from his Mum as she began to pour out the tea. What she got in return was one of pure feigned innocence. Lavender looked over at Ginny and said,

"You know, Ginny, I always thought you were so lucky to have landed Harry. After that display, I'm beginning to rethink that opinion."

Ginny assumed an expression of pained suffering and replied,

"I know what you mean, Lavender. As the years go by it gets harder and harder to maintain the facade of delirious joy."

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed which set everyone else laughing.

Ginny just smiled at him and then kissed him soundly on the lips. The conversation turned to more mundane matters to include how much longer Lavender required for her rehabilitation, what her plans might be, and then what was going on up at Hogwarts. When Harry described what had been going on with the younger Slytherins and Ted, Lavender's expression darkened.

"I'll tell you this, Harry. Those boys ought to be glad they had you there to deal with them. Had it been me they would have gotten a bloody good hiding with this," she said, resting her hand on her cane. "I'd have given them what for until they stopped moving."

"Don't think I wasn't tempted, Lavender. Some of the things they said were so hateful. I even threatened to toss them into the Dark Forest after Bane had pronounced them unwelcome. But I think they got the message. They were pretty quiet the rest of the term."

"You know, that is the most amazing thing to me, Harry," she said. "Your relationship with the Centaurs. I remember how in awe we were of Firenze, and here you are, accepted as a member of their herd. A highly respected member from what I hear."

"Yes, it never ceases to amaze me, either."

As the afternoon wore on, the two boys faded and were carried up to their room for a nap by mother and grandmother. Harry and Abagail set up a small wizards' chess board and were playing a game as Lavender watched. She had idly pulled a Tarot deck from her sweater pocket and shuffled them with practiced grace. She laid out four cards face down on the cushion beside her as she watched Harry ponder a move. Then she looked down and began to turn them over. By the time she had finished her eyebrows were high on her forehead and she turned to study her friend and comrade much more closely.


	71. Chapter 71

Professor Potter, Chapter 71

"Harry! Ginny! Time to wake up. Breakfast is almost ready," Abagail's breathy voice called from the other side of the door, following a much louder pounding.

"Yes, alright, little one, we're awake," Harry called back, "and a Happy Christmas to you."

He wasn't sure but he thought he heard a snicker from the other side of the door. He did his best to untangle himself enough so he could grab his glasses off the night stand. In the dim light of early morning he took stock of his situation. The bedclothes were a tangled mess and while Ginny was lying with her back to him she was mostly on his side of the bed. Despite having been up fairly late and with apparent disregard for where they were, Ginny wouldn't take no for an answer and they hadn't really gotten to sleep until well into the small hours of the morning. It should be noted that Harry didn't argue all that much. He reached over and gently shook her by the shoulder.

"Ginny, wake up, luv. Breakfast is almost ready."

"Mmmm, alright, sweetheart. Just a minute," she said as she rolled over towards him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him soundly. "Happy Christmas," was all she said when she backed away with a smug little smile.

"And a Happy Christmas to you, Mrs. Potter."

She smiled back at him and said,

"Alright, go take a quick shower and I'll be right behind you."

Harry considered the possible meanings behind those words, but decided now wasn't the time so with a barely perceptible shrug he finished the job of getting out from under the covers, put on his robe and headed for the shower. It took less than half an hour for Harry and Ginny to get down to the kitchen where breakfast was just being put out. Harry looked over at Abagail, who was wearing an apron that had smudges of flour on it.

"From that row you put up, I thought we'd be late for breakfast," he said.

She gave him that impish grin and said,

"I figured you'd need some extra time, so I shaded the truth a bit."

Harry shook his head and led Ginny over to their customary spot at the big table, where he pulled her chair out for her. She sat down and then took his hand and kissed it.

"Thank you, my gallant gentleman."

Then Harry looked back at Abagail and asked,

"Are we going to see Angus today, little one?"

"No, Harry. When his sister was visiting over the summer, they arranged for him to go home for Christmas, on the sly, so he could visit everyone without his mother knowing he was around. It's all so sad, but at least he's got the opportunity to reconnect with a lot of his relatives."

Harry simply nodded. Some problems were beyond his reach.

Someone, either big sister or grandmother, had gotten the boys settled and in addition to Harry and Ginny, at the table were Mr. Weasley, Lavender, Percy and Audrey, who had arrived after dinner the night before, and Charlie and El, who had just gotten there. The rest would be arriving as the morning went on. Audrey had struck up a conversation with Lavender about the whole topic of divination. It seemed Audrey had had an interest but couldn't deal with Professor Trelawney's approach and dropped it after one year. She expressed some envy at the idea of learning from a Centaur.

"It's a whole different approach," Lavender said, "they tap into a very deep well of communal spirit and experience, but without all the trappings and mysticism. I've had to fall back on some of Professor Trelawney's theatrics to satisfy the muggles."

They were near the end of the meal when a knock on the door announced the arrival of Ted Lupin and his grandmother. Since this was the first time that many had seen him since going away to school he got many hugs and handshakes which he endured with patience. Andromeda was also warmly welcomed and when she got to Harry she said,

"Thank you, Harry. Once again you've done the boy, and me, a service we can't hope to repay. Ted told me what had happened once he got home. I know the Rutherford boy's parents. No surprise there. They had, or have, every evil instinct my sister and her compatriots possessed but not the guts to do anything about them. I'm glad you got the little snot in line, but I'd keep an eye on him if I were you."

"Don't worry, Meda, I will. But thanks for the warning. We sometimes forget there is still a lot of that sentiment out there."

She nodded knowingly and then went to say hello to Molly in the kitchen. Ted was standing off to the side by this time and looked at Harry and said,

"Harry, if you don't mind, before this is over, could you and I have a talk?"

"Of course, Ted. What about?"

"Well, school and what I want to do."

"We'll do it right after the presents are exchanged, how's that?" Harry suggested.

"Terrific, thanks."

As for the presents, a fair amount of discussion had taken place over the course of the year and it was decided that with the growing number of children, gift giving at the Burrow would be confined to what the children would receive. The grown ups could take care of themselves and that it wasn't really necessary to give anything outside of spouses. Ginny had already told Harry she didn't need any more emerald jewelry. Since she had taken a liking to muggle pens for her writing projects, Harry got her a beautiful fountain pen with intricate inlay, to which she said with some exasperation that while it was a gorgeous gift, how could she possibly use it to do all her writing? With a smile he reached behind the chair and handed her a wrapped box which contained dozens of modern muggle roller ball pens.

Once the kids had destroyed all the packages, explored the boxes and played with the ribbons, Harry found a quiet corner and sat with Ted.

"Alright, young fella, what's on your mind?" he asked.

"It's like this, Harry. For a long time now, I've thought I wanted to try and be an Auror, like mum and you. But lately I've gotten a little worried about it. With all that stuff going on the first half of the term, I wasn't even sure I'd be able to stay in school. But I think you got that worked out," Ted said with a little smile. "Anyway, I'm still worried about the trouble I have, you know, falling down, getting banged up. Not exactly the kind of person they'd want going out on dangerous missions."

Harry smiled a bit and nodded. The he looked at the boy and said,

"Yes, you've mentioned wanting to be an Auror a number of times. So, let's look at the positives first. You're a smart kid, a lot like your father. Plus you have your mother's gift for changing your features at will, and she was a pretty smart one, too, or she wouldn't have made the Aurors herself. My guess is, that if you really put your mind to it you'd be able to handle the studies. You'd have to start as a patroller, of course. As to the other issue, some of those things have been accidents, like that flier getting careless and running into you. But most of it seems to come from you being careless and inattentive. You can change that. Just start paying attention to your surroundings and think about what you're going to do. Ask yourself, 'should I try and jump to the next set of stairs, or wait until this one stops moving'. That sort of thing.

"I'd also suggest you talk to Ron. He came up the new way so I'm sure he'd have some insights for you on how to make it happen. But in the end Ted, it's up to you. While I think you have what it takes to get there, you have to decide how much you want it and how much effort you're willing to put into it. Does that help at all?"

"Yeah, Harry, thanks. It's been bothering me for a while now. I guess I should have mentioned it earlier, but you've got all that stuff going on and then with those knuckleheads from Slytherin messing me about, I didn't know how to approach it," Ted said.

"Hey, I'm never too busy to help you deal with your problems. That's what I'm here for, understand?"

"Yes, sir," Ted replied with a bigger grin.

Harry ruffled his hair and sent him on his way. It wasn't long afterward that he noticed the boy sitting next to Ron, their heads close in a quiet conversation. Just before the early Christmas dinner was due to begin, someone knocked on the kitchen door. Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen to have them come in. Through the door came Susan Bones followed by Anthony Goldstein. Harry was sitting not far away, playing a round of wizards' chess with El so he was the first up to greet them.

"Wow, Susan, Anthony. I didn't know you were going to be here. Happy Christmas, it's great to see you."

"Happy Christmas, Harry. Mrs. Weasley invited me, well, insisted is more like it. I had been stopping by to see how Lavender was getting along," she finished with a shrug.

"Yeah, it's hard to turn down a Molly Weasley invitation. I'm glad you couldn't. It's good to see you, too, Anthony," Harry said, looking past Susan's shoulder.

"Happy Christmas, chief, um, Harry," Anthony said with a smile.

More greetings were exchanged and then Molly finally called out that dinner was ready and everyone could begin serving themselves. If was a full house with all the Weasley children, their spouses and offspring, as well as the the Graingers and Johnsons, and Gabrielle. The senior Delacours were absent this year as they were touring in Asia. The addition of Lavender, Susan and Anthony more then made up for their absence but it was still comfortable. By the time dessert had been laid on Harry wound up sitting by Susan and Anthony.

"So, Harry, I heard you really had to clamp down on things at Hogwarts last term," Anthony said.

"Sounds like Ron is telling stories in the Auror break room. Things were getting a little out of hand with some of the younger Slytherins and it was affecting the whole school. I think I managed to scare them a little," Harry said with a smile.

"More than a little, I'd imagine," Anthony said. "Actually, it wasn't Ron. Some of the older Aurors with kids up at school mentioned letters being sent home talking about how you took four students into the forest on a discipline detail and they came back all pale and shaking. Then there was that whole business of shaking the trees down in the forest and rattling the ghosts out of the Hogwarts dungeons."

"That may be an exaggeration, Anthony, but I can say it was a lot quieter after all that," Harry said.

Susan was watching Harry while he was talking and looked like she was going to add something but didn't. Harry noticed and said,

"What?"

"Well, I was just going to say that some of those letters found their way to parents that work at St. Mungo's. I heard more than one of them say that they were really happy you're up there, and that they wonder how long it will be before you're made Headmaster," she said with a small smile.

Harry's eyebrows rose and then he laughed and said,

"Their kids will have their on kids before that's even a remote possibility."

Susan's expression spoke volumes. Later in the afternoon, she would share those comments with Lavender and if anyone was paying attention they would have seen the two looking at a small handful of Tarot cards.

Another conversation Harry had that day was with Gabrielle. She was in good spirits and was moving around the room bestowing smiles everywhere she went. When she saw Harry sitting with an empty space on one side she promptly flounced down next to hm and took his arm in both of hers and placed a big kiss on his cheek.

"'ello, 'arry. You are 'aveeng a good day, yes?"

"A terrific day, Gabrielle. You seem to be in a really good mood. What's going on?"

"I am eenjoyeeng my life, mon frere. George ees very 'appy weeth my work. I got a raise a few months ago. I am also very 'appy leeveeng on my own. I know Fleur weeshes I was steel 'er leetle seester but thees ees so much better," she said, her smile lighting up her face.

"And is there anyone special?" Harry asked.

"You mean besides you?" she said with a laugh which got a little louder when she saw Harry get red.

She looked past him to Ginny, who was sitting on the other side and observing the by play.

"'e ees so adorable when 'e gets so red. Does 'e do eet often?"

Ginny smiled at her husband's discomfort and said,

"Not so much anymore. But every now and then I can get him to blush right to the roots of that mess of black hair. It just takes more imagination these days."

Both women started to laugh as Harry's face got deeper red. Ron rescued him with an offer to play some chess. As Harry got up he looked at Ginny and said,

"You'll notice she didn't answer the question. See what you can find out."

Ginny winked and then laughed again.

The party lasted well into the evening with all the children asleep in various locations, with the exception of Ted who was currently struggling to maintain some semblance of competence on the chess board as Abagail was running roughshod over him. Harry was watching from across the kitchen and he couldn't help but grimace as Ted made a questionable move and Abagail swept in to capture the piece and further degrade the boy's position.

"Geez, Abs, can't you at least make it look like you have to think a bit before you make a move?" Ted complained.

"Sorry, me old china, but after playing against Angus all this time, the chance of actually winning a game has me feeling a bit ruthless," Abagail said with a smile.

"Alright, I might as well concede so you can go on a rampage and pillage some other poor blighter," Ted said.

"Concede? What cowardice is this?" shouted the white King that was one of Ted's few remaining pieces. "One does not concede until there is no other option."

"You know, Abs. I used to think these guys were so cool, but sometimes they just get on my nerves," the boy said as he laid the King face down, cutting off his protest.

Gabrielle had been watching as her best friend crushed the boy and she came around the table and gave him a hug and a big sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"There you go, Ted, a keess to make you feel better."

"Aw, c'mon, Gabi, not you, too. Cut it out. I'm not that cute," Ted wailed.

The house rang with laughter. It was fairly late by the time the last of the guests who weren't spending the night left and the much smaller family nucleus plus Lavender, sat in the living room sharing a final cuppa.

"Well, my dears, that was certainly a wonderful day. I hope it wasn't too much for you, Lavender, dear?" Molly asked.

"Not at all, Mrs. Weasley. I had a wonderful time. It's been quite a while since I've celebrated Christmas like this. And your son Albus is quite the charmer," Lavender directed the last bit to Ginny and Harry who were sitting across from her.

"Yes, he can be, and he seemed quite taken by you, Lavender," Ginny replied over the top of her tea cup. "He's usually much more reserved with people he's not familiar with."

"If only he was twenty five years older," Lavender said wistfully.

"You'll get there, Lavender, dear," Mrs. Weasley interjected. "One step at a time."

"Yes, ma'am."

Harry noticed the look on his friend's face and got the feeling this was part of a much longer conversation. He knew from experience the wonders his mum could work and he knew Lavender was in very good hands. He hadn't realized that she was looking back at him with an odd little smile. His expression changed to one that invited comment.

"I was just thinking about what you made happen here today, Harry."

"Me?" he said, shaking his head. "This is pretty much all Mum's handiwork."

"Hardly, Harry. As you can imagine I've had the chance to talk to your mum a lot. I understand the Burrow was a lot smaller before you arranged for the expansion, right?"

He nodded.

"So, that provided a place for this wonderful gathering. But that's not what I was referring to. What I was referring to was me, Susan, Abagail and Ted. Did you ever stop to think what life for us would be like had you not taken a hand? Especially Abagail and Ted," she said looking at him intently. "You know, Harry, I don't think you truly realize the impact you have on peoples' lives. Or perhaps you don't allow yourself to realize it. Your mum mentioned once about your concern about following in Voldemort's footsteps. Stuff of nonsense if you ask me but there you are."

"Why are you bringing this up, Lavender?" Harry asked. "If you think you need to say thank you again, just say it. I think my shoulder has dried out," he finished with a crooked smile.

Lavender laughed a bit and the said,

"No, I think I cried on you enough yesterday. Why? Let's just say it's out of love, Harry. Love for a dear friend rediscovered. And concern for your future happiness and well being. You've done great things, Harry, and will likely do more. That could prove difficult for you and the ones around you. I just ask that you be careful. For yourself and the others."

Harry didn't respond beyond another small smile. When he did speak he said,

"Well, it's been long day, and a good one. I think I'll head up to bed. Coming, Gin?"

"In a moment, sweetheart," Ginny replied, her attention on Lavender.

As Harry stood up, Lavender held out a hand and said,

"Would you please?"

Harry took her hand and helped her to stand. She pulled him toward her and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered something in his ear. When he pulled back they smiled slightly at each other and then Harry went over to give his mum a hug good night as she sat. Abagail bounced up and wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed hard. They watched as he walked up the stairs and then waited until they could hear the door close. They all turned to look at Lavender.

"What was all that about?" Ginny asked, her voice holding back some irritation.

Lavender remained standing as she looked down at Ginny and said,

"It's as I said, Ginny. I'm concerned for a dear friend. And the ones he loves."

Seeing that more would be needed, Lavender moved toward Ginny and the couch.

"Budge up a bit there would you please?" she said and then sat down so that the small table was in front of her.

"I'm not quite the same silly girl that used to gush over everything that Professor Trelawney would say, or chased after your brother. All the years I spent alone in my cottage up north gave me lots of time to think. I'd like to think I learned how to do it pretty well. And of course, the time I've spent here at the Burrow has given me plenty to think about. So I've spent quite a lot of time thinking about your Harry. When he first came to the cottage, we talked for a while, and as is a habit of mine I took out my Tarot deck. Are you familiar with Tarot cards, Ginny?"

"I know what they are, and that people use them to try and predict the future. Other than that, not really. I didn't have any interest in Divination at school."

"You know enough then. While Harry and I talked I dealt out a few cards, four in fact, but didn't really pay attention to them because what Harry was offering had my full attention. But as he was walking away from the cottage I did look. It was quite a shock. After I came home from that first doctor's visit, I did the same thing. Same cards, same shock. I tried it again last night while we were chatting here in the room. Same result. I'd like to try it again, to show you what I mean. If you would, please, just keep Harry in the fore of your minds, it will help, although even with him upstairs his presence is still strong in the room."

Lavender took out the pack of cards and shuffled them thoroughly. Then she dealt out four cards in a diamond pattern on the table, face down. Then she turned them over one at a time, calling out what each card was.

"Emperor, King of Pentacles, King of Swords, King of Wands."

She looked around the room.

"Same four cards, same pattern, each and every time. I've never seen anything like that. Never heard of it either. Each of those cards represent individuals of great power, great wisdom, and great influence. Taken all together? The implication is staggering."

"It's not exactly news to us, Lavender," Abagail said softly. "We all know that Harry is destined for greatness."

"I would imagine you do. You've had the advantage of near constant contact for all these years. I didn't. The last I saw of Harry before that day at the cottage, he was squaring off against Voldemort and the Deatheaters like the rest of us. When I opened the door a few months ago, my shock wasn't just in seeing him after all that time. It was what I was seeing, and feeling. I think that you all are somewhat, I don't know, immune to that."

Abagail caught Ginny's eye and mouthed the words,

"The portrait."

Ginny simply nodded.

"But I guess I'm rambling. My point is this, Ginny. From what I saw that day, and the days after, and what the cards are telling me my concern for your Harry is this. Great deeds have great consequences. Sometimes unintended. Even when they are done with nothing but good in mind. And people can get hurt. Knowing how Harry feels about people, I shudder to think what effect it would have on him if innocent people were to suffer as a result of something he did. Can you imagine what shape he'd be in right now if even one Centaur had been killed by one of the trees that fell in the forest the other day? Getting rid of Voldemort once and for all was a good thing, but at what cost?

"From what I've gathered talking to your mum and dad and the few conversations I've had with Harry, I get the feeling that he's almost deluding himself into thinking that what he does isn't all that significant. That he just helps people who need it, when they need it as he says. It's as if he sees himself as a ship sailing on a calm sea. The waters part and ripples spread out but after a while they fade and the sea is just the same. To me he's more like one of those muggle dozer things. They plow a path that forever changes the land and leave a path for others to follow. I know why he does it but I've had plenty of experience with people, muggle and magical, who deliberately delude themselves because they think the reality is too awful."

"So what are you suggesting?" Ginny asked.

"I don't really know. If it were up to me I'd guess I'd try to get him to admit and accept the magnitude of who he is and what he has to offer and to become comfortable enough with it that he becomes truly honest with himself," Lavender said. "I don't know, maybe it was none of my business, but having spent some time around this family, it's kind of hard not to feel a part of it."

With a small smile, she patted Ginny on the knee and slowly stood up and said,

"As Harry said, it's been a long day, but a good one. I hope I didn't throw a wet blanket on it. My concern is genuine and from the heart. Sleep well."

As she walked slowly past Molly on the way out of the living room she gave her a squeeze on the shoulder. When she was gone, Ginny looked at the others and said,

"So, now what?"

"Well, as Abagail said," Arthur began, "it's not as if it's news. Although Lavender's perspective is an interesting one. I suppose it's possible we might have a bit of a blind spot where Harry is concerned in some ways. Perhaps he has one himself, but I have my doubts. The girl might be right in that he's trying to convince himself his actions aren't all that earthshaking. It's a shame Fleur wasn't here to hear this. She has an uncanny knack for seeing what's going on behind those glasses."

Ginny nodded a bit and then announced she was off to bed. After kisses for her parents and Abagail she walked upstairs to their room and tried to slip inside quietly.

"I'm still awake, Gin."

"Oh, alright, sweetheart," she said as she disrobed in the dim moonlight that was coming through the window and then climbed into bed, snuggling up to Harry as he lay on his back.

"So, was there any more to be said?" he asked.

"A bit more explanation. Like she said, she's worried for a friend. She knows how much you care about people and with all you're likely to do in the future things might not turn out the way you want and if someone suffers because of it, you're likely to be very upset by it," she finished, squeezing him a little tighter.

"I guess, in a way, she's right. What happened in the forest could have been a real fiasco, for example. That would have been pretty devastating. Makes me wonder if I should stop messing around with things I don't know much about."

That wasn't the kind of response she was looking for so she thought it was time to change the subject.

"Maybe, but now isn't the time to think about that."

With that she slid up a little higher and pulled him to face her and she began a long slow smoldering kiss that lasted longer than the moonlight. In the morning neither of them was very responsive to Abagail's attempt to wake them up for breakfast. By the time they got to the kitchen the rest were already eating. After the meal, presents were gathered up, farewells were said and the Potters were on their way back to Meadow Crest. No further mention of the previous night's discussion was made.

Snuffles made a big fuss and Harry decided to take him and the boys outside to play in the snow for a while. They made a snow wizard, nothing on a par with Stan Shunpike's creations, but a rather respectable effort to include a conical hat and a trimmed tree branch for a wand. After that, Snuffles was run ragged chasing after snowballs that were being thrown for him. He seemed incapable of comprehending that trying to dig out a snowball that had landed in the snow was a wasted effort since his big paws destroyed the buried ball of snow before he could find it. By the time they were done for the day, the big dog was soaking wet and worn out. Harry had to bring him around the back to be let into the mud room so he could be dried out. Fortunately, the house elves had found a way to cheat and they had him sorted out in minutes.

By late afternoon, the boys were napping in their room, Harry was sitting in the library reading, with a fire going and the big dog was sound asleep by the hearth. Ginny was trying out her new pen, sending out some post holiday messages to friends.

"What are you reading, sweetheart?"

"One of those arcane manuscripts that I used to find so frustrating. From what I could ferret out the first time I read it, it had some interesting things to say about a wizard's responsibility. After the other night I thought I might take another crack at it and see if there was anything of value," he replied. "What are you up to over there?"

"I wanted to try out the lovely pen you gave me. So I'm sending out some notes. Seeing Susan, Anthony and Lavender reminded me that we haven't seen a lot of people since the summer."

"How are the books and things coming?" he asked.

"Well, I don't know about any 'things' as you say, but we finished up Charlie's dragon book a while ago, Harry. It's been in the stores already."

"Really? How did I miss that?"

"It might have to do with all the things you're juggling these days. Quite frankly if I had to try and do it I doubt I'd remember my name or where I lived," she said with a smile.

Harry frowned a bit and then asked,

"So you are down to just your journal, then?"

"Oh, no. I've managed to find a few things to do. Professor Slughorn heard about what we were doing so he's asked me to help him edit something he's putting together. Not so much a book as it is a compendium of potions to distribute to his students. As he put it, he's a stuffy old man and tends to write that way so he wants me to help make it more readable for students."

"Wow, that's pretty cool. I bet my mother would find that interesting."

"She has. We've discussed it few times," Ginny said with a smile.

"Anything else in the works that I've missed noticing."

"I've decided to try something you suggested a while ago. I've been making notes about a book on how to fly a broomstick. Sort of a primer for beginners and improvement guide for others. Nothing really serious yet, mostly bits and pieces," she said.

"Now that's something I'd like to see. I bet you could sell a bunch of them from the equipment shop up at the Park."

"Maybe. I'll get more serious about it once I'm done helping Professor Slughorn."

Harry smiled cheerfully, but behind the smile he wondered if there were other things he was missing. He spent a lot of time over the next couple of days playing with the boys and talking with Ginny. He even spent most of one afternoon talking with Abagail and Angus, touching on a variety of subjects which included the chaos theory of snitches, how to expand Abagail's pendant market, and whether or not it was worth the effort to dig further into the images that had come from the power flows beneath the cavern.

They were deep into that topic when Kreacher announced from the doorway of the library that Bill and Fleur Weasley had arrived. The three moved to the living room where Ginny and the boys were already saying their hellos. As Harry shook hands with Bill, he said,

"So what's all this, then? Didn't you get enough of us on Christmas Day?"

"'arry! Such a theeng to say. You theenk there ees a leemit to how much time we would weesh to spend weeth you and Geeny?" Fleur asked indignantly.

"Well, Ginny, probably not, but with me, I'd have to think so, yes," he replied straight faced.

Fleur's eyes went wide and then narrowed as she approached Harry and swatted him on the arm before wrapping him in one of her trademark hugs. Harry returned one with equal fervor and got her to laugh before releasing her.

"You are such a bad boy," she said as she held him at arms length before bestowing her kisses.

Bill laughed and added,

"Mum and Dad came out to visit and the cottage was starting to get a bit small so they suggested we go off on our own for a few hours. I thought we'd come here since I had a few things to discuss with you about what went on in the forest. And I thought I'd get another look at your new Firebolt."

"Look?" Ginny asked archly.

They all laughed at that. Harry knew Bill would want to do more than look and with his invisibility amulet he'd be able to cover a fair amount of territory. As the afternoon was waning, Harry figured Bill should get that out of the way first, so he pulled the broom out of the closet and pulled off the cover that he had gotten for it as a present from Abagail and Angus. They all watched as Bill took off into the dim afternoon light and then went back inside. Abagail and Angus took the boys down to the play room and Ginny went to see about some tea and to let the house elves know there would be two more for dinner.

This left Fleur and Harry back in the living room by themselves. Harry looked at his sister-in-law and asked,

"So, what's on your mind, Fleur?"

"What ees on my mind ees wondereeng what ees on yours, mon ami. I 'eard about what 'appened after we left Chreesmas day," she replied.

"Ah, yes. With all their technology the muggles have nothing on the Weasley telegraph. So I guess Mum and Dad told you about what Lavender was saying?"

"Oui, and Geeny and Abagail sent messages. Thees theeng she talks about, eet troubles you, yes?"

"I don't know if troubled is the right word," Harry replied. "But it is something to think about, and maybe be concerned with. I'd have to be a fool not to see that a lot of what I seem to get involved with is pretty significant. And what happened in the forest could have been pretty bad, so I guess I got lucky there. I was telling Ginny the other night that maybe I needed to stop sticking my nose into some of this stuff."

"'ow do you know when not to, 'ow you say, steeck your nose een?" she asked.

"Well, that is the million galleon question, isn't it," he replied with a smile. "I guess it's a matter of experience, knowledge and luck."

"You 'ave much expeereence weeth the strange, yes?"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that," he replied.

"And you gained thees experience 'ow?"

"Well, by getting involved in all manner of bizarre situations and figuring a way out," he replied.

"So eef you stopped steeckeeng your nose eento these theengs you would stop gaineeng experience, yes?"

Harry looked over at the silver haired beauty who was regarding him calmly and then laughed a bit.

"I see your point, Fleur, I guess I'm stuck."

"Not stuck, 'arry. You are a child of destiny."

Harry's eyes went a little wide and then he started looking around.

"What are you lookeeng for, 'arry?"

"Usually when someone uses an expression like 'child of destiny' you hear portentous music in the background. I was looking for mine," he said, then ducking the pillow she threw at him.


	72. Chapter 72

Professor Potter, Chapter 72

The remainder of the holiday break passed quietly, or as quietly as a house with two young boys and big dog could manage. Harry continued working through several old texts as he mulled the possible consequences of what Lavender had told him. As might be expected he found a number of varying opinions ranging from total isolation from the affairs of the world to one advocating total domination of the magical and mundane world. He wondered if that old wizard from Romanian had read that one. The fact that some of the writing of this particular wag seemed to indicate a rather tenuous grasp on reality allowed Harry to pretty much discount what was there. He spent some time prowling the shelves and stacks at Flourish and Blotts looking for anything more modern that might offer some insight.

A few days before the start of the second half of the year Ginny walked into the library and sat down on the couch across from where he sat and looked at him with a very serious face. When Harry looked up he met her gaze with one suggesting she could say what was on her mind.

"What makes you think you're going to find something in those dusty old books? What does someone dead a hundred or a thousand years know that is going to be of any value to you here and now?"

"Don't you think that there might have been someone who's had to deal with something similar to what I am?" he asked by way of response.

"I doubt it and even if there was, so what? It might be a similar situation but the chances of them being anything like you? I doubt that. I know that what Lavender said has you thinking, but it was no different than what you already knew. You can do great things, you already have, and will likely do more in the future. You just need to be careful, but you've known that. So do me a favor and get your head out of those books and go find something useful to do. Or maybe not useful and have some fun. You'll have plenty of years to be an old codger, you don't need to get an early start on it."

Harry took a deep breath but decided his wife wasn't interested in an extended discussion so he gave a nod and closed his book. Ginny would come to regret the suggestion later in the day. Harry had rounded up the boys and Snuffles and took them outside to play in the snow. The last couple of days, the weather had moderated and the warmer temperatures had begun to melt the snow pack. While it was great for packing to make snow balls and forts, it was also soaking through snowsuits and gloves. To make matters worse the boys started to wrestle with Snuffles and they were soon covered with clumps of wet sticky snow. The grand finale' came as the boys started chasing Snuffles and the big dog took them too close to the pond. James made a lunge and missed. He landed on his belly in the snow and he slid right into the cold water of the pond face first.

Harry was there in a moment and hauled him out but the damage had already been done. The water had gone down the front of his snowsuit, soaked his hat and gloves completely and left this face red and dripping. To his credit, James wasn't crying, just gasping and blowing as the water ran down his face. Harry tucked James under one arm and picked Albus up with the other. Then he called out,

"Dingle?"

The house elf popped into view, hovering just above the soft snow.

"Yes, Master Harry?"

"Dingle, we've had a little problem here. Would you take Snuffles around back to the mudroom and get him dried off?"

Dingle eyed the big dog and said,

"Yes, Master Harry, at once."

Reaching down the house elf took hold of the mastiff's collar and they both disappeared. Harry thought he might have heard a brief yelp. He himself Disapparated to the front door just as it swung open, Kreacher standing to the side. With signature understatement, the little elf said,

"The young Masters seem quite damp."

"Actually, they're soaked through to the skin. Would you please float them into the hall bathroom? I'll be there as soon as I get my boots off."

"Of course, Master Harry," Kreacher said.

The little elf held out his hand and the boys floated out of Harry's grasp. The boys shrieked in delight and then began to laugh. It was an odd sight, seeing the two youngsters bobbing along with the elderly house elf walking between them. Harry pulled off his boots and left them just inside the door, knowing that Dingle would take care of them as soon as he was done with the dog. As he began moving down the hall Ginny appeared.

"Whatever is this all about?"

"Between the wet snow and the pond, the boys are soaked. I figured this would get them dry with the lest amount of damage to the house. We'll need a couple of robes for them," he replied as he followed Kreacher into the bathroom.

The boys were already standing on their own two feet when Harry walked in. They looked up at him with big smiles.

"That was wicked, Da," James said with a laugh.

"'s, that was fun, Da," Albus added.

"Good, now, let's get these wet things off of you," Harry said as he helped the boys start taking off their boots and outer gear.

He was well into it when Ginny came in, holding two small but fluffy robes. Abagail was peeking around from behind her.

"Good grief, Harry, what were they doing, hunting for pebbles in the pond?" the little witch asked.

"Close. The snow is wet and slippery. They were already wet before a slip and slide put James half way into the water," he replied.

"Yeah, it was fun, Abs," James said.

"I'll bet it was, little man," she replied with a smile.

The two ladies took charge and in short order had the boys bundled in the robes and headed for baths in separate bathrooms in the house. Harry was left with a pile of wet clothes and outwear. Dingle appeared with a basket and wordlessly gathered up the items and left. Harry sometimes wondered what the uncomplaining housekeeping elf thought about his current arrangement. He supposed it couldn't be as bad as picking up after a dormitory full of Hogwarts students. He headed for his own room to change into something dry and comfortable.

To further the results of Ginny's dictate to get his head out of his books, he suggested that it might be nice to have an end of Holiday break gathering on the Saturday before school started. Ginny and Abagail thought it was an excellent idea and of course the house elves were happy to be able to cook for so many. The guest list was easy. Just put the word out on the Weasley telegraph and anyone who wanted to attend is welcome. Based on the results the telegraph was working at maximum efficiency and it seemed everyone was interested. Harry couldn't have been more pleased. Not only was everyone from the family there, the Grangers and Johnsons were there as well as Susan and Anthony, and an a rather mobile Lavender. Late arrivers were Neville and Hannah and little Alice. Hannah was apologizing profusely, saying that the dinner crowd was heavier than expected.

"Hannah, why would you think you need to apologize for being successful?" Harry said with a laugh. "I'm just glad you were able to make it. And I'm very pleased to see you again, Miss Alice," he said as he swept the little girl up into his arms.

"Hello, Uncle Harry," Alice said, all smiles.

Harry smiled as well, more of a half smile with an odd look in his eyes. Hannah noticed.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"Oh, nothing is wrong. I was just thinking that of all the things I've been called in a relatively short life, Uncle Harry is just about the best, right up there with 'da'," he said as he tickled Alice a bit.

"I have to say I'm glad she has you to call 'uncle'. With Neville and I not having any siblings, she wouldn't have any aunts or uncles otherwise," Hannah said.

Harry thought on this a moment and said,

"Well, I guess there's no help for it then. We'll just have to adopt you into the Weasley clan. I'll take up your membership at the next board meeting."

Hannah looked at Harry and then started to laugh while Alice gave him another squeeze around the neck. Hannah then went in search of Ginny and the other ladies while Neville went with Harry as he took his 'niece' downstairs to the playroom with the other children.

Later in the evening, he was sitting in the living room when Ron, Hermione and Rose arrived, he having had duty during the day. The precocious three year old Rose ran about the room getting and giving hugs and kisses to her grandparents and those aunts and uncles who were in the room. Harry watched without any show of what he was feeling. Ron came up and shook hands and Hermione hugged him and held on to his arm as he returned to watching his niece who was also the daughter of his best friends make a circuit around the room. When his turn finally came, and he was the last one, her approach was hesitant, if not exactly fearful.

"Rose, sweetheart, don't you have a hug for your Uncle Harry?" Hermione prompted her.

"Yes, mummy," she said and hurried forward, a determined look on her face that produced what could be described as a flinch when she got within two paces of him.

As Harry was standing next to the girl's mother, she wrapped her arms around his legs, briefly and then backed off quickly. She then scooted around to stand on the other side of her father who was standing next to Hermione, who said,

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I just don't know what the problem is. Lord knows I've tried to find out. We talk about you and she says she loves her Uncle Harry but that's all I can get out of her."

"It's alright, Hermione. Maybe she thinks I smell like a dragon," he said with a shrug.

"Oh, Harry," she said in dismay.

The entire exchange between Harry and little Rose did not go unobserved by others. Of particular interest were Victoire and Dominique. They were looking at their younger cousin with narrowed eyes and had been whispering, Vee being particularly emphatic. When the adults found their seats Vee and Dominique gestured for Rose to come over by them. When the three girls were sitting on the carpet, somewhat removed from the adults, Victoire glared at her cousin and said,

"Why do you treat Uncle 'arry so badly?"

Now Rose had begun talking since shortly after her first birthday. And her speaking skills improved well ahead of children her age. Hermione's mother said she was a carbon copy of her mother in that regard. However, under the baleful glare of her older cousin she was at a loss for words for a moment.

"Yeah, why don't you love Uncle 'arry," Dominique added.

Rose squinted at them and said,

"I do love Uncle Harry," she said, over pronouncing his name. "At least I can say his name right."

"So can we, Miss Smartypants, but it's the way mummy says it and we know Uncle Harry," Victoire said with the same emphasis as Rose, "likes to hear it that way."

"Well, you still have no business saying I don't love Uncle Harry."

"We can see the way you try to avoid going near him. And you barely hug him when you do get near him. He gives the best hugs ever," Victoire retorted.

Rose picked at the carpet with her small hands and didn't respond. This was not going to work with either of the older cousins and they glared at her. Vee said,

"Well?"

"It hurts," she whispered.

"What? What hurts?" Dominique asked.

"When I get too close to Uncle Harry, it hurts."

"Really?" Victoire asked. "How?"

"Just sort of all over."

"Does your mummy know?" Vee asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Mummy and daddy are Uncle Harry's best friends. How could I tell them that?" she said sadly.

"If you won't, then I will. It makes Uncle 'arry very sad and I won't let that happen anymore," Vee said as she stood up and headed in her favorite Uncle's direction.

Rose began to object and made to stand up but Dominique stood in her way.

"Uncle 'arry, I need to talk to you," Victoire said as she approached Harry as he sat with Ginny, Ron and Hermione.

"Is it important, Miss Vee. We're having a conversation here," Harry said.

"Yes, it's about why Rose doesn't want to hug you," she said, her expression at it's most serious.

All four adults directed their attention to the girl.

"How would you know that?" Harry asked.

"I made her tell me," she replied.

Harry thought how much she looked like her mother at that moment, who happened to be sitting nearby and was now watching her daughter intently.

"What did she tell you, Vee?" Harry asked softly.

"She said it hurts for her to get too close to you."

"Hurts? How does it hurt?" Hermione asked with obvious concern.

"She just said it hurts all over when she gets too close."

Hermione looked to where her daughter was now standing next to Dominique, her face a mask of dismay. She waved the little girl over. Harry called over,

"But only come as close as you can without it hurting."

Rose nodded and got to within two paces and then took a step back. She stood there with her hands clasped in front of her. Hermione got up and went to her, kneeling down by her side and hugging her. Harry looked at the little girl, thinking about how she would spend so much time sitting across a room watching him.

"Rose, does this have anything to do with the way you always seem to be watching me?"

"Maybe."

"Why do you watch me?" he asked gently.

By now everyone in the room was focused on the conversation between Harry and the small girl.

"The extra stuff," she replied.

"Extra stuff?"

She nodded and said,

"It's around you. I see it around other people but you have a lot more."

"Do you think that might be why you hurt when you get close?" he asked.

She did a fair imitation of a Harry shrug. Harry had an idea. He called out to Dingle. When the little elf arrived he spoke a few words to him and the elf disappeared. In a matter of moments Abagail hurried into the room, followed by Angus and Gabrielle.

"What's going on, Harry?" the small witch asked.

"We may have a hint about whats going on with Rose and I. She said something about seeing extra stuff when she looks at me. Do you see anything like that?"

"No, Harry, I don't see anything but I do feel you. You have a much stronger sense of presence to me than other people," she replied.

"The portrait?" he asked a bit sourly.

"I think so, Harry," she said with a small smile at his discomfort and then her face lit up. "Harry, do you recall that joke I play on the house elves?"

"What? You mean showing up at the front door without them sensing it? Yes."

"Maybe that might help here. Maybe Rose is hyper sensitive to your aura, as the muggles call it," Abagail said.

Harry remembered he tried this trick when he was sneaking up on the house elf burglars. He looked at his little niece and said,

"Rose, I want you to look at me. Is the extra stuff there?"

She simply nodded. Harry nodded back and then he thought of himself and directed the thought inward. He looked at Rose and watched as the girl's eyes went very wide. He looked at Abagail and she smiled and nodded. Returning his attention to Rose he said,

"Is the extra stuff still there?"

She shook her head in the negative.

"Would you like to try coming closer?"

She took a tentative step away from her mother. Then another and then a third. The remaining space was covered in a short burst and then she was swept up in a tight hug from Harry that lasted for much more than the usual couple of seconds. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. After the hug he placed Rose in his lap and had a quiet conversation with her. Several times she looked over at Vee and Harry nodded. The older cousin was standing by her mother, watching what was going on, her face expressionless. After a while longer, Rose was handed off to her mother but not without another long hug. Harry then motioned for both Vee and Dominique to come to him. He gave them both one armed hugs and said,

"Thank you for what you did. I hope you didn't give Rose too hard a time but you not only helped solve our little problem but you also helped reveal what could be a special talent. Why don't both of you go to the kitchen and tell nibs that Master Harry said you could each have two of my favorite biscuits."

Both girls smiled widely and began to walk towards the corridor when Harry called Victoire back. He hugged her again and with his mouth close to her ear he said,

"I know uncles shouldn't say things like this, but you're still my favorite."

In response, Vee threw her arms around his neck and squeezed and squeezed. When she left the room she was wearing a smile that could match her mother's best and she practically floated as she walked. As he sat with Hermione and Rose on one side and Ginny on the other, Harry considered what just occurred. While he knew that Rose was a precociously intelligent little girl, that came as no surprise considering her parentage, Hermione with her raw brilliance and Ron with his talent for tactical and strategic thinking. But neither really possessed anything out of the ordinary in terms of magical ability. In fact, none of the Weasley's showed anything out of the ordinary in terms of magical ability. Well, Bill and Charlie were excellent broomstick fliers but that was still pretty mundane as far as wizards and witches were concerned. What Rose was exhibiting leaned more in the direction of Abagail's unique abilities. He thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his arm.

"Harry, I am so relieved," Hermione said. "The idea that Rose didn't like you for some reason was just unbearable."

"I'm glad we finally got it worked out," Harry replied. "Of course, it raises all kinds of questions about what she's actually capable of. But we have plenty of time for that."

"What you're doing? Does it take much effort?" Ginny asked from his other side.

"A bit. I wouldn't want to have to do it all day long, but for the few hours we're together it's no burden," he said as he reached over and tickled his niece under her chin, causing her to giggle.

A little later, Harry was walking toward the library when he saw Anthony Goldstein coming toward him from the direction of the kitchen, a mug of tea in one hand.

"Hello there, Anthony."

"Hi, Harry. Thanks again for the invitation. It's always a good time here."

"My pleasure. Where did Susan get to?" Harry asked as Anthony came up to him.

"In the kitchen with Lavender and, um, Audrey and Eleanor, I think."

"Yes, you got that right. Watch yourself. They're probably making plans," Harry said with a conspiratorial wink.

"Oh, we aren't there yet, Harry," Anthony said with a laugh. "We are both very busy and we just like spending our free time together. Of course it helps that Susan is addicted to muggle mystery novels. She loves hearing about my work and she makes a very effective sounding board when I'm trying to work my way through a problem."

Harry just nodded, a knowing smile spreading across his face. Anthony had the good manners to blush a little. Then he gave himself a bit of a shake and said,

"I almost forgot. You should be receiving a message from Chief Maxwell next week."

"Really? Do you know about what?" Harry asked.

"Yes, the Ministry is going to request that you lease your London house to them for a year. Madame Toussant is making some headway with those house elves but she said it's going to take some time."

"They don't need to go through all the trouble of a lease. They can just stay there," Harry said.

Anthony shook his head and said,

"No, Chief Maxwell said the decision was to make it all legal and above board. There's some chatter about the higher ups being very sensitive about a Ministry official being so involved in this business, even a former one. They don't want it to appear like we are trying to hide the little fellows and Madame Toussant in your shielded townhouse. A lease is a public document."

Harry nodded and then said,

"Okay, they can do what they think they need to. Tell them it will cost them a galleon for the year."

Sometime later, Harry was sitting across the wizard's chess table from Hermione's father. Contrary to his usual custom, Harry was playing a game while guests were in the house. Of course, being a muggle, Mr. Granger had no ability to cause the pieces to move. James was sitting next to him and relaying his directions to the pieces. Mrs. Granger was sitting on the couch dividing her time between observing the game and leafing through a copy of Charlie's dragon book that was in the library. The boy was taking his role very seriously and he was barking out the commands in a clear, if high pitched, voice.

"I must say, Harry. That was quite an impressive display back there with my granddaughter."

"Oh, I don't know, sir. It was pretty calm, I thought," Harry replied after sending one of his knights into combat.

"I wasn't referring to lightening or dragon's fire, my boy. I meant the way you handled a potentially tricky situation. Little Rose can be much like her mother when the mood suits her. And then the way you reasoned out the situation. I can understand now what has been said about you as a teacher. Most impressive."

"Thank you, sir. I'm just glad we got it all sorted out," he said with a smile. "I have a feeling your granddaughter has an interesting life ahead of her."

"Now there's an understatement if ever there was one," the older man laughed. "It's an amazing thing. It's been nearly twenties years since Hermione got her letter and I'm not sure that I really believe it all is real."

Harry sat back in his chair and looked across the table at Hermione's father and his own son sitting next to him.

"I don't know that we are all that far apart, really. I mean if you consider it, muggle technology consists of using tools and energy to get things done. Witches and wizards do much the same thing. The tools are wands and potions and various artifacts and the energy, I believe is drawn directly from nature. Of course, how we use those tools and energies are different, but I think it is all drawn from the same world, just using different talents and techniques."

Mr. Granger looked thoughtfully at his daughter's best friend and such a pivotal figure of their world, or at least their portion of the world.

"Are you thinking, Harry, that the day will come when magical users can live openly among the rest of us?"

Harry's face took on a more serious cast.

"I would hope so, but I don't think so, in all honesty. Certainly not in my lifetime, however long that might be. The old prejudices are still alive and well out there. We'll have to stay hidden and remain watchful and cautious."

"Sad to say, but I'd have to agree with you there, Harry."

"Harry," Mrs. Granger began, "do you think you could explain a bit more about what you discovered about Rose and what it might mean for the future?"

"I'll try, ma'am. It appears that Rose can somehow sense some aspect of the energy of a person. At least me. You probably heard Abagail mention something about auras. It may be that because of who and what I am there's something there for her to feel. We'll have to do some experimentation to determine if she can sense similar things about other people," Harry explained.

"Experiment?" Rose's grandmother said, her eyebrows arching.

"Not like that," Harry said with a laugh. "Really all we have to do is have her look at people and ask her if she sees or feels anything. We know that Abagail has a sense of something similar but only as a feeling. From what Rose says, it's something she sees. Which might explain why she would spend so much time watching me when we were in the same room. I've never come across anything like this before."

Mrs. Granger pursed her lips and appeared very thoughtful. She looked at her husband and said,

"You know, dear, there was my great great grandmother that I used to hear about. It was said that she used to have premonitions and strange dreams. I wonder if it's possible that they are connected."

Mr. Granger just shrugged abit.

"It's possible, I suppose," Harry said. "Abagail's gift skipped at least four generations that we could trace. We'll keep an eye on her and see what develops. At least it's not something that looks dangerous," Harry said.

"Dangerous?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Well, at least she's not breathing fire in her sleep," her replied deadpanned.

Mr. Granger couldn't help but laugh.

The events of the holiday, especially resolving his relationship with Rose, had Harry in a very good mood when he returned to school. As he sat in front of his first class of the day, the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years, he was even smiling.

"Well, welcome back. I hope everyone had an excellent holiday and came away with a lot of swag."

The response he got was a lot of raised eyebrows and a smirk from Ted.

"I mean did you all receive good presents," he explained.

This produced a number of nods and several raised hands. Harry let the comparative swag analysis conversation continue for about twenty minutes and then got everyone back on track. He had similar interactions with his other classes that day and the conversation in all the house common rooms revolved around how the expectations raised on the Express ride home for the break were realized and they could stop stepping lightly around Professor Potter. One student who wasn't afraid to seek Harry out was Ted. After their class was over, he lagged behind.

"Hello, Professor."

"Mr. Lupin, how are you?" Harry replied with full Professorial dignity.

Ted broke into a big grin.

"I'm sorry we didn't see you Saturday night, Ted," Harry said, his voice dropping back to normal tones.

"Yeah, I'm sorry we missed it, too, but Nan had plans already. You know she was kind of annoyed with you for bit after the word came that you were having the party."

"Annoyed? How so?"

"She said, 'I love that boy dearly, but these last minute events of his can be quite disconcerting'," Ted said, the big grin flashing again.

"Please extend my apologies the next time you write to her. I'll try to be more considerate of your grandmother's social calendar in the future," Harry replied with an equally big grin.

With that he ruffled Ted's hair and sent him on his way. He'd send his own message when he got home. He had no idea how often Ted wrote to his grandmother and the idea of Andromeda Tonks being 'disconcerted' was cause for swift action. He also needed to seek out Firenze. Lavender had given him a message for her former teacher at the party and he promised to deliver it the first chance he had. He approached the door to the Centaur's classroom and knocked.

"Yes?"

"It's Harry Potter."

"Come ahead, Friend Harry Potter."

Harry opened the door and entered the room that he recalled from his student days. The miniature forest was much as it had been, with the moss covered floor and the night sky across the entirety of the ceiling. Firenze was standing off to one side, regarding Harry as he entered.

"Hail and welcome, Friend Harry Potter. I trust your time among family and friends was enjoyable?"

"Very. I trust you are well?" Harry replied.

"I am content."

"I'm pleased to hear that. I have something that I trust will add to your sense of contentment. It's a message from Lavender Brown," Harry said, handing the folded and sealed piece of parchment to his friend.

The Centaur accepted it with due dignity. He looked at it for a few moments and then at Harry.

"Has Lavender Brown's situation improved at all?"

"Most certainly. Muggle surgeons repaired the damage to her hip and she's mending quickly and getting about much more easily. She's been staying with my parents, the Weasley's, while she's recuperating. She even spent Christmas with the family," Harry said.

"I am most pleased to hear of this turn of events, Friend Harry Potter. One assumes you were the driving force that made this possible?" Firenze said, regarding Harry, his face unreadable.

"To a certain extent, but I have to say the Abagail Westwood played a large part. I think perhaps she was the one who made the final persuasive argument," Harry said.

"Please relay my appreciation to young Abagail Westwood. And to you, Friend Harry Potter. Your actions on behalf of your herdmates are truly commendable."

"Thank you. Something else you may find interesting, my old friend. Lavender seems to be showing signs of true talent. I understand she's been using Tarot cards to find clues to my future," Harry said with a grin.

"Not the most reliable methodology, but I agree with your assessment. Even as a student, she showed more promise than any of her classmates. I trust you relayed my sentiments regarding her returning to Hogwarts."

"I did", Harry replied. "She expressed an interest in doing so. I believe once her recuperation is complete, she will make the trip up, most likely in the spring."

"I will look forward to it. Were you made aware of the nature of her discoveries concerning your future?" Firenze asked with genuine interest.

"In general. That the likelihood of great things is high and I need to be careful that I don't cause unanticipated hardships on others. The fear is that I would react badly to such events."

"Her readings are sound, for the Centaurs, and myself, have seen much the same in the stars concerning you. Not surprisingly. The concern is more of a reading of your character, Friend Harry Potter. There are those who would feel such consequences are merely the price to be paid for whatever benefit might have accrued. You are not such a one. Were one innocent to suffer to save the world, it would still weigh heavily. Do not those who suffered in order to bring about the downfall of Voldemort occupy your thoughts for time to time?" the Centaur asked, his eyes penetrating.

Harry merely nodded.

"Such is the cost of greatness," Firenze intoned.

A thought occurred to Harry.

"You've been charting my future via the stars?"

Firenze gave a rare hint of a smile.

"Friend Harry Potter. Each clear night I make the climb to the observation deck used by the Astronomy students to chart your stars. And to forestall the question, the results of those observations do and will remain a secret."

"Then why do it?" Harry asked.

"It is the nature of a Centaur. One cannot go against ones nature and remain content."

Harry knew he'd get no further and after a few more fairly benign comments he left Firenze to read Lavender's message. He left the school that day feeling quite content himself. He was mobbed coming in the front door by two boys, one huge dog and two highly excited adult females. Once the boys and dog were sorted out Harry tried to get Ginny and Abagail to tell him what had them so wound up.

"Alright, please. What's going on?"

"Fleur and Angelina are both pregnant. Only a few weeks apart," Ginny said, vibrating with excitement.

"What? That's fantastic. Why didn't they say anything Saturday?" he asked.

"They did. It was very hush, hush, until they could get confirmation from the midwife. The Weasley telegraph has been running at full speed all day."

"I'm surprised Bill didn't say anything at school today," he mused.

"He didn't know," Abagail said in an excited whisper. "Fleur is going to tell him tonight. Just think, Harry. More nieces and nephews for Uncle Harry," she finished her smile wide.

Harry smiled as well. A good day had turned into a great evening but it wasn't over yet. He enjoyed a very upbeat dinner and evening that involved playing with the boys and Snuffles in the basement, then a hard fought game of wizard's chess with Abagail. After the game was over, Ginny looked over her shoulder from the desk and said,

"So, Professor Potter, I believe it's time for us to turn in."

Harry smiled and looked over at her and said,

"Yes, Mrs. Potter, I do believe you're correct."

Abagail couldn't help but laugh but she helped Harry reset the board and then with hugs, left for her room. Ginny and Harry walked to their room hand in hand. Once inside Ginny turned and snaked her arms around his neck and said,

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has. Two new members of the Weasley clan before the year is out and two more children to watch go through Hogwarts," Harry said with a smile.

"There could be a third," she said, looking up at him, her eyebrows arched.

"What, you too?" he said, his voice climbing.

"It's possible, I'm not completely certain yet. I think we need to make sure," she replied.

Harry smiled, then laughed, and hugged his wife tightly. A great evening was about to turn into a fabulous night.


	73. Chapter 73

Professor Potter, Chapter 73

The morning after Harry received the news that Fleur and Angelina were pregnant again and that Ginny might be as well he walked toward the faculty table, his attention focused on his brother, Bill, looking for any signs. He could see Bill looking out towards the students, but not really seeming to be seeing anything in particular. As he crossed in front of him Bill did blink and look up, a vague smile on his face.

"Good morning, Professor Weasley," Harry said.

"Oh, hello there, Harry. I didn't think to see you here this morning," Bill replied.

"I wanted a chance to talk to you this morning and offer my congratulations. I heard last night," Harry said as he took his seat.

"Thank you. You'd think it being the third time I'd be a accustomed to it," Bill said with a smile.

"I understand what you mean. The only thing keeping me on the ground is the fact we don't know for sure yet," Harry replied, laughing a bit. "A third child is going to make things a little crowded at Shell Cottage, isn't it?"

"The word Fleur and I use is snug, but yes, it will be. We're talking about expanding the cottage."

"You're going to have Dad work his magic on the cottage?" Harry asked, jokingly referring to Arthur Weasley's expansion spell skills.

"It was a thought, but we decided to take a lesson from you and have an addition put on. We'll contact your friends at Salisbury Plains Construction."

Harry nodded and then said,

"I know from experience that that can be kind of expensive. If there's anything I can do..." he offered.

"Thanks, Harry, but I'm not quite the poor professor I appear," Bill replied.

"No, that's not what I meant," Harry said hurriedly.

Bill held up his hand, smiling more broadly.

"Harry, relax. We all know that you are the soul of generosity and that it all comes from the heart and if there was a need, you would be the first person that I would turn to. But as it happens, the need isn't there. When I worked finding treasure for Gringott's, I didn't work for wages. I was on commission. Fifteen percent of everything I found went into my personal vault. That's why when Professor McGonagall offered me the job of DADA professor, I was able to accept. I had a nice nest egg built up and Fleur had been after me to change careers even with the desk job. Anyway, I took a lesson from you and invested some of that treasure in some business ventures set up by my father-in-law and they've been doing quite nicely," Bill finished with a smile.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Bill. I did wonder from time to time how you were getting on. But I will make this offer. If construction causes any issues, especially with Fleur being pregnant, our guest rooms are open to you," Harry offered.

"Thanks, Harry. I think that's an offer I will consider taking you up on. I'll talk to Fleur about it."

"So when is the baby due?"

"Late June, early July, we figure. I understand Angelina is more like late May," Bill replied.

Harry shook his head and said,

"This old castle is going to be crawling with Weasley clan kids for a lot of years. I wonder if the place will survive."

"Oh, come on, Harry," Bill said with a laugh. "It survived the worse that Voldemort and his Death Eaters could throw at it."

"True, but then again, the cliffs in front of your house can survive the most violent waves, but over years the smallest drip of water can wear away the base and drop the whole thing into the ocean. Our lot will have years to wear away at the old place," he said with mock chagrin.

Bill laughed harder and clapped Harry on the shoulder setting him to laughing as well. His good mood carried through the whole day, adding to the impression that they had weathered the storm of the first term and things were looking up. After classes that afternoon he held a meeting with the sixth years to get a status on their projects.

"Well, Professor," began a witch from Ravenclaw, "as you know we are attempting to cross that plant that Mr. Longbottom found with another plant that produces a great deal of aromatics. It is hoped that we can get a hybrid that will release the therapeutic compound directly into the air without all the extracting and concentrating and such. We've made some progress but it's been a bit of a tough slog."

"How so?" Harry asked.

"As you may know, sir, magical plants have a tendency to have rather, well, strong personalities. As it stands now, sir, we are having some trouble getting the aromatic plant to accept the overtures of the healing plant."

"Overtures?"

"Yes, sir. I mean you can't just force one on the other. We found that out the hard way early on. It took hours to clean up the mess," she said, with the characteristic seriousness of a Ravenclaw.

"I see. Well, I'm sure you'll get there, well done so far."

"Thank you, sir."

Harry couldn't help but smile at the idea that his project class was turning into a dating service for plants. He got updates from the other students, including research on the fundamentals of reading the stars. Harry was quite surprised when he first learned of this project and the support that Firenze was offering the two students doing the work. When Harry mentioned to his friend early in the first term, the Centaur gave a rare small smile and said,

"I am afraid I am being somewhat self serving in this effort, Friend Harry Potter."

"How so?"

"For nearly as long as I have been engaged in the task of educating young humans, both students and the Headmistress have tried to persuade me to create my own written material. Centaurs are not known for putting quill to parchment as do you humans."

"I thought they didn't do it at all. I thought it was all oral tradition," Harry said.

"That is true, we do not. That is why we are not know for it," the Centaur said with a straight face.

Harry did a double take and had a suspicion he had just heard the first joke from a Centaur he was aware of.

"So, when these two came to me to discuss an investigation into the reading of the stars, I took advantage and made the creation of a primer, I think humans call it, a part of the project. It will serve as material to be provided to those just starting Divination."

"My compliments, my friend. A most elegant solution. May I presume that it will have to meet your approval before it's submitted for a grading?" Harry asked.

"Of course, Friend Harry Potter. I would not think to have it presented to you without making sure it was of suitable quality."

"I look forward to it."

Based on what the two students were telling him now, half way through the year, it was obvious that Firenze was a stern task master, demanding a maximal effort but they weren't complaining as such. The idea that they were creating as an end product a volume that would be used by future students had caught their imagination.

By the time he was done with the review he was confident that the students had their tasks well in hand. When he returned home that evening he found Ron waiting for him.

"What brings you around during the week, Ron?"

"Hermione is off on another trip and her folks have Rose for the overnight, so I thought I'd come by and ponce some dinner and maybe scare up a game of wizards chess," the lanky redhead replied.

"Great. Dinner should be in a few minutes so we'll wait until after to start the game. So how are things going at work?"

"The usual petty stuff, a new attempt to bring contraband items into the country and some character is trying to pawn off some new miracle cure. Turns out the stuff is just a mix of corn flour, some salt, cinnamon and curry for flavoring and then he spells it to shift colors. We're close to running him down. He caught our attention when he tried to set up shop in one of the abandoned storefronts in Knockturn Alley. Oh, and of course there's the search for the former Mysteries director. It looks like he's bouncing around a series of different safe houses, some of the old families and low level Voldemort sympathizers. We have some leads but he's never where we think he's going to be," Ron finished.

Harry thought on this for a few moments and then said,

"The next time you see Milligan, remind him of how we found out what was going on inside the Mysteries Department at the beginning of that hybrid dragon mess. Try suggesting he peel some onions. There might be something there that could be of help."

Anything Ron might have said was cut off when Nibs called them to dinner. Dinner was set up for one end of the dining room table and James made a fuss about being able to sit next to his favorite uncle. As they ate Ron said,

"So, Harry, are things still fairly calm up at school?"

"Yeah, it looks like they got the message and things are pretty much back to normal, which means most of the mischief is being carried on out of sight and hearing. I'd imagine if I went looking I'd find something but why go to that trouble," he replied with a smile.

"Why, Harry," Abagail began, her large eyes full of innocence, "to think you would know were to look for trouble at Hogwarts."

Ron snorted and Harry replied,

"Actually I never had to go looking. Trouble always seemed to know just where to find me."

Ron gave his best mate a speculative look and said,

"I dunno, mate. If I really think about it, what with all our capers I'd have to say Fred and George had nothing on you. They were a bit more outlandish, I grant you, but when you consider the end result, you're right there with them."

Harry's eyes shot up and he he looked scandalized.

"I beg your pardon? You say our capers but I'm the one that's right there with them. What happened to you?" he asked indignantly.

"Oh, come now, Harry," Ron said, his face taking on an almost saintly cast, "everyone knows I was just along for moral support and that you were the real mover and shaker."

Any further observations by Harry were sidetracked by the sound of Ginny and Abagail laughing, with the boys joining in on general principle. Later that evening Ron and Harry faced each other across the big wizard's chess board, the library ringing to the sound of shouted challenges, steel on steel and the roar of approval from the victor's comrades. At one point the two were down to roughly half their pieces, with Ron in the superior position but only just. After a move by Harry that put Ron's remaining knight in jeopardy, The lanky red head looked across the board and said sourly,

"You know, Harry, for years now you've always been good for a tight game, but lately you've really been pushing me."

"Give me some credit, Ron. I've been watching how you play since we were first years. Don't you think I'd learn most of your little tricks and maneuvers?" Harry said with a grin. "Besides, I think you've been relying on your reputation a bit too much of late. You should spend more time playing against Angus. I think he'd sharpen your game a bit."

Ron chose not to reply, but made a move that pulled Harry up short, but only for a moment. In the end they played to a draw and Ron left for home feeling a little disgruntled. But he didn't forget Harry's suggestion and relayed it to Deputy Chief Milligan the next morning. When Ron mentioned peeling onions the senior investigator slammed his hand down on his desk, cursed his faulty memory and made for the atrium at quick walk. It was only a matter of minutes before he and Ron were standing at the front door to the Potter residence. It was less than half an hour when they left with Abagail in tow.

That afternoon Harry, staying at Hogwarts that night, received a small deputation of Aurors led by the Deputy Chief. Harry welcomed them into his office and gestured that the three take a seat. Milligan was flanked by Ron and Anthony Goldstein. Harry regarded them from behind his desk and asked with a smile,

"To what do I owe the pleasure of such august company?"

Milligan smiled briefly and said,

"I just wanted to thank you in person for that inspired suggestion. Back when I was just the head of the investigation unit I probably would have thought of it myself, but since I got stuck being Deputy Chief, all those administrative details tend to dull my edge," the last being said with an accusatory look at Harry, which was returned with blank innocence. "Anyway, we had a little chat with Miss Abagail this morning and she was happy to cooperate. We showed her four different safe house around the country. She was able to confirm that the fugitive director had spent varying amounts of time in each. Based on what she found out, young Weasley here has worked out a pattern and it looks like there is a fifth house that no one in the others is aware of. That's what we're working on now."

"I'm glad that Abagail was able to help, but I'm wondering what brings you up here," Harry asked.

"Well, Harry," Anthony began, "you had a great deal of experience unraveling that whole dragon mess. We thought you might have some insights to offer, since this is the wizard who orchestrated that conspiracy. We were hoping you'd take a look at what we have and see if you can spot anything that might lead to the fifth safe house or something else we might be missing."

"Sure, I'd be glad to," he replied.

"Thanks, Harry," Anthony said, "the Minister has made it clear you aren't to be dragged into any of our investigations, but we thought this would be safe enough."

"Really? I wasn't aware I was persona non grata at the Ministry."

"You're not, Chief," Milligan said, getting a cocked eyebrow in return. "The Minister is just very protective of his prerogatives where you're concerned. We'd all be transferred to guard duty at Azkabahn if anything happened to you."

"I see," Harry said with a small grin, "it's nice to be so highly regarded. Anyway, lets see what you have and maybe something will click."

The four spent the next two hours pouring over all the information they had on the comings and goings of the former director, where the safe houses had been located and how long they think he had stayed at each and how often. Harry asked a few questions.

"Is there any way he could have gotten access to those caverns we found connected to the vaults below Gringott's?"

"Not unless he can pass through solid rock. The Ministry had that entrance tunnel you found completely filled in and the Goblins did the same thing with the hole they found. Plus there are a number of anti intrusion spells laid on both locations. I'd think not," Milligan replied.

"Alright, what about where I had that first run in with the mutated dragon? It's part of the public Quidditch park but who knows?"

The three Aurors looked at each other and nodded.

"We hadn't thought about it, Harry," Ron offered. "The only thing left is those caves you had blocked up, right?"

"Yes. The house foundation was filled in. The old warehouse is now the general purpose building and I'm not aware of anything else. Oh, wait, the bunker that we figure the dragon was in. I'm pretty sure it was filled but I suppose it should be checked to make sure."

"We'll take care of it, Chief," Milligan said, "sounds like a good exercise for the Specials. Weasley, talk to your boss when we get back and set it up."

"Yes, sir," Ron replied.

"As to the rest of it, I'll give it some thought and let you know if anything comes of it," Harry said.

"Thanks, Harry," Anthony said, "we appreciate anything you can do."

Harry walked the three Aurors to the front door and then made his way to the Hall for dinner. As he walked up onto the dais he saw that Professor McGonagall was already seated. While Madame Pomfrey had assured everyone that her illness had passed, the Headmistress still looked far too frail as far as Harry was concerned. It was hard to reconcile the formidable witch he had first encountered after sailing across the lake that first night at Hogwarts with whom he was seeing at the moment.

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall. How are you feeling?" he asked, pausing across from her.

She offered him a smile, if a wan one and said,

"Not all that badly, Professor, thank you for asking."

Apparently Harry's expression was a little too transparent.

"In truth, Harry," she began in a lowered voice, "I could do with a bit more rest but beyond that I'm fine. Put your mind at ease."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied.

He took his seat next to Bill but they exchanged nothing more than concerned expressions. After dinner Harry retrieved some papers from his office and set up his usual place at the end of the Gryffindor table. He wasn't there more than fifteen minutes when a familiar, if overlarge, figure appeared across from him.

"Good evenin', Professah."

"Good evening, Mister DuBonais. How are you getting on?" Harry asked.

"Just fine, suh. Might I have a moment o' your time?"

"Of course, please, have a seat," Harry said.

Now Harry knew that the hulking frame of Antoine DuBonais contained a thoughtful, intelligent and laid back personality. But he still felt better having the young man sitting down, if for no other reason than to take the strain off his neck from looking up at him.

"What can I do for you?" Harry asked.

"Well, suh, as ya know, ah'll be a sixth year next term and ah've been givin' a lot o' thought about my project. Ah have somethin' in mind but it'll take a lot of work in advance. Ah'd like to see if I can get your permission now so ah can start."

"Sounds interesting. Let's hear what you have in mind."

"Well, suh, ah've learned a lot about what my mama does with her medicines and such. Ah'd like to work on on somethin' that combines what she does with the, oh, ah'd guess you'd say, more traditional potions that Professor Slughorn works with."

Harry nodded and then said,

"I like it, but how will you deal with the issue of the materials your mother uses from back in the states?"

"Well, suh, that's one of the reasons ah wanted to speak with ya tonight. This Sat'rday, Mama and Daddy are leavin' for Loosiana. Daddy has ta spend about six weeks theah for his company and since ah'm up heah, Mama is going along. Ah can get her a list and she can bring it back with her."

"Have you discussed this with Professor Slughorn?" Harry asked.

"A bit, suh, but ah wanted to get your say so before ah did too much."

"Go ahead and get started, Mr. DuBonais," Harry said. "I like the idea and I'm sure good things will come of it. Please pass on my regards to your mother when you send her your list."

"Thank ya, suh and ah surely will. Good evenin', suh."

"Have a good night, Mr. DuBonais."

By the end of the week Harry and Ginny had gotten confirmation that she was indeed pregnant for the third time. Harry wasn't taking any chances that this time would be like the last. He went and talked with Molly Weasley for advice. He informed the three house elves that under no circumstances was Ginny permitted to do any significant house work. If she objected they were simply to demure with the phrase, 'Master Harry wishes it so'. He recruited Abagail who would take on a greater share of looking after the boys and insisting that Ginny take regular naps. And he arranged for a sufficient supply of the sleeping potion in case it became necessary.

Ginny, intelligent and perceptive as she was, was certainly not blind to what was going on. A week after they got confirmation of the pregnancy she walked into the library and sat down on the couch opposite from Harry's favorite chair. She regarded him intently but said nothing, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence and open the conversation. After a few moments he looked up and smiled as he took in the still slender figure and the face that as far as he was concerned, had only gotten more beautiful with maturity.

"Hello there, you."

"Hello, yourself," she replied evenly.

Harry looked at her with a slight tilt of his head.

"Is there something?" he asked.

"I'd say so, yes. Did you realize that we have a major conspiracy in progress?"

"Really? Are the boys up to something?" he asked.

"No, but I would have to say that there is an element of childishness to it all," she replied.

"I'm afraid I don't have any idea of what your referring to, sweetheart."

"Oh, I think you do, dearheart," she replied tartly. "What I'm referring to is the childish idea that I need to spend the next seven or so months being treated like the most fragile of porcelain."

"Oh, that," Harry said almost dismissively. "There's not a big conspiracy, luv. I've just been trying to make sure that you don't wind up in the same poor shape that you did near the end of your last pregnancy. I don't see how that could be viewed as childish."

"Oh, you don't, do you? Don't you think that having been the one to go through all that the last time that I would be foolish enough to make the same mistakes again?"

"Well, Gin, I don't think you'd be foolish enough to do it but I have to take into account that you are a Weasley."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked with some heat.

"It means that along with all the many fine qualities that the members of the Weasley family possess, there is one that is not so fine, and it is one that is more abundant among the female Weasley's, either by birth or marriage. I'm referring to mule headed stubbornness."

At this statement Ginny's eyebrows shot up almost to her hairline.

"Everyone knows who runs this house, Mrs. Potter. And everyone knows how difficult it can be to move you off of any position you decide to take. The idea of trying to convince you to take it easy even after you started to get run down was not one I was looking forward to," Harry said and then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together. "And quite frankly, I'm not ready to go through the process of being constantly afraid of your dying so young and being forced to raising my children on my own," his face set and serious.

This last statement shocked Ginny and her expression changed completely.

"What are you talking about?"

"Luv, by the time you had reached the last month of carrying little Albus, you were so worn out, I couldn't believe there was anyway that you would survive the birth, especially if their were any problems. Mrs. DuBonais was particularly concerned. You know, when I went to talk to Mum last week," he said, a half smile appearing on his face, "she said that she had planned to come out to see me the very next day to talk to me about the very same thing. She said she wasn't about to let you get so close to the edge again, even if she had to lock you in the bedroom."

Ginny looked at him, blinking a time or two and then said,

"I suppose I hadn't really thought it had been so bad. I was just tired all the time."

"It's called fatigue, luv, and it can be as dangerous as any illness. I think I know a thing or two about it," he said quietly.

"You could have come talk to me about it first," she offered.

"No, I don't think so, Gin. You would have talked me out of most of it. I've found it's easier to convince you of the virtue of something once it's all set up," he said with a grin.

She squinted at him and said,

"Not unlike a discussion that took place about a certain house."

Harry nodded and his grin got bigger.

"We are well suited to each other, aren't we?"

"Yes, I suppose so. And we seem to know each other all too well," she said and then slipped off the couch and came over and took the book from Harry's hand and sat down on his lap, her arms snaking around his shoulders. "Alright, my love. I appreciate your concern and recognize the logic behind your maneuverings. I'm not sure I agree with the idea that I'm a mule, but I'll bow to your wisdom and take it easy and let your co-conspirators spoil me rotten," she said and then kissed him lightly. "But be warned, I may take a liking to being pampered and not want to give it up later."

Harry smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I'll take that chance in exchange for easing your burden."

She leaned into him and kissed him more earnestly. He responded gladly and it went on for a while. Finally, Ginny decided that the spoiling was going to begin that night and she pulled him out of his chair and led him to their bedroom. Later Harry would be very grateful that this took place on a Friday night and he didn't have any reason to get up too early the next morning.

In fact, Ginny had to make a conscious effort to allow much of the effort around the house go on without input from her. She made sure that she was at the table when the boys ate or at the tub when they took their baths. As agreed, Abagail took over their play times and she began working more with the boys on their education. James was already reading and beginning to work at his basic arithmetic. Albus had started to show interest in lessons and would insist on being there when James was being tutored. James viewed it as an obligation, Albus as an enjoyable way to pass a few hours each day.

Harry continued to work diligently with his students including the interaction with the Centaurs in the person of Morgotta. The snows had been moderate and late in January, there was actually bare ground at the edge of the forest just past Hagrid's hut. He arranged for a large tent, resembling a yurt from the central Asian steppes to be erected and Harry assembled a new group of students for the Lore Master to talk with. Remembering what his friend had requested after the first session, he added some students of more average abilities and a group of four students whose reputation was anything but sterling, that is, Ted Lupin and the three Slytherin first years. They had been on their best behavior but he was convinced that Morgotta would be able to see past any temporary facade of respectability.

This session would take place on a Saturday, because by the time classes had ended for the day, the sun was already setting and he didn't want them trudging back to the castle in the cold and dark. It was mid morning when he had the group assembled in the foyer, his expression serious but not with the stern authority they had seen during the dark days of the prior semester.

"Alright, now, understand that you are being offered a great privilege here. You are going to be told something only a handful of humans have heard before. You will be attentive and respectful. You are encouraged to ask questions when the opportunity is presented, but make sure that they are legitimate inquires. If anyone does anything that embarrasses themselves or the school, you will face me and if you thought last semester was difficult, it will seem like heaven compared to what will happen. Am I being clear?"

"Yes, sir," they chorused.

"Fine, let's be off then," he said, and then turned on his heels and led them through the main door, into the cold air, tempered by a strong winter sun.

They took the usual trail down to Hagrid's and as they neared the forest Harry could feel the faint touch of the energy field that lay over the ancient collection of trees. As they approached, Norby barked from the steps of the stone hut and Harry waved him down. The students stood in subtle amazement as Professor Potter took a moment to give the big Mastiff a serious head and ear scratching. While he was doing this Hagrid appeared at the door and said,

"Hullo, there, Harry. This the new lot, then?"

"Hiya, Hagrid. Yes, they are."

Hagrid's beetle black eyes scanned the assembled students and when they spied first the three Slytherin first years and then Ted, his smile grew wide under his beard and his eyes twinkled.

"Should prove ta be an interestin' mornin'. I'll leave ya to it. Come along, Norby. 'tis cold for these old bones."

Harry had to suppress a smile. He had seen Hagrid wade through snow waist high on a normal person with frigid gales whipping it into a white out without a complaint. He moved off toward the tent, the students following along behind. He pushed aside the large flap that covered the entrance and was met with a waive of warm, fragrant air. He stepped inside and looking around he saw several large braziers, each holding a large, glowing block of peat. The floor was a large canvass nearly covered with thick rugs and pillows.

"Okay, find yourself a place and get comfortable. We owe Professor Hagrid a word of thanks for the arrangements he's made. I'll step outside to great Morgotta. Remember, you will address her as Morgotta or Lore Master. Any attempt at familiarity will be considered a significant breech of protocol. I'll see you when the session is over."

Harry walked outside and stood in the cold air. He could sense the movement of a large creature along the well used trail that led into the forest. He could also sense another, marginally larger, creature moving slowly among the shadows beneath the trees. When he saw Morgotta exit from the trail he moved to greet her, his smile warm and genuine.

"Hail and well met, Friend Harry Potter."

"Hail and well met, Friend Morgotta."

They exchanged their customary two handed greeting and then Harry looked up into the serene face of the Centaur Lore Master.

"I trust all is well with you, Friend Morgotta?"

"Indeed it is. My investigation and exploration of humankind proceeds and has offered many insights. And you? Your mate and offspring are well?"

"Yes, they are, thank you. In fact, my mate, Ginny is expecting our third child. Around the end of summer," he replied.

This news elicited a slight smile from the Centaur, a sign of significant joy for the otherwise dour creatures.

"This is indeed great news, Friend Harry Potter. Please accept my congratulations and relay my regards to your mate. I will carry this news back to the others of the herd and they will share in your happiness."

Harry smiled widely and then said,

"You have a new group of students awaiting you. I have remembered your request and provided a more representative cross section of the study body. That is all I will say and I will let you draw your own conclusions."

"I am eager to begin," she said, her own smile growing a bit.

Harry stepped aside and watched as she moved to the tent and entered. He turned and faced the spot where he knew a male Centaur had taken up a watchful position. He raised his arm in an open handed salute and after a pause he could just barely see the shadow within the shadow shift so that Harry knew the salute had been returned. He turned and walked to Hagrid's door and knocked. A booming bark answered and then he heard,

"Come on in, Harry. The kettle is on."

Harry opened the door and walked into the familiar warmth that was Hagrid's home. He took his customary seat and Norby took his usual spot beside the chair.

"So, Harry, how do ya think it'll go?"

"I have no real concerns. The true troublemakers are few and young, the rest will keep them in line if they get that stupid," Harry said as he fixed his tea.

What followed was a couple of hours of conversation with someone who was one of his oldest friends, a comrade in arms, and a colleague. It touched on many topics but the most serious was the condition of the Headmistress.

"What do you think, Hagrid? You've known her longer and are around more than I am. How is she?"

"Well, Harry, like the rest of us, she's not gettin' any younger. But I understand yer worries. She's not bouncin' back like she did after gettin' hit with those stunnin' spells. Some of the faculty that have known her longest have bin tryin' ta get her ta take some time to herself but she hasn't budged," Hagrid said.

Harry nodded, his concerns as strong as ever. They sat for a while longer, talking about the kids, Hagrid's godson in particular.

"You should bring 'em up here this summer, Harry. I'll start introducin' 'em to the more interestin' creatures."

Harry could just imagine the results of that. A little while later there came a respectful knock on the door and Harry went and opened it. It was Ted.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but we're all finished. The Lore Master asked for a moment of your time," and then he looked thoughtful.

"What is it?"

"Well, sir, if the Lore Master is a 'she', how come she's not a Lore Mistress?" Ted asked.

"Good question. Perhaps you'll get the chance to ask her someday. I'll be right along."

Ted turned and walked back toward the tent and Harry took his cloak off the coat rack.

"Thanks for the hospitality, Hagrid. I miss the days when the three of us used to come down here and drink your tea."

Hagrid gave Harry a small grin and said,

"The tea is always here, Harry. Yer the one who isn't."

"Point taken, Hagrid. I'll visit more often and I'll see if I can get the whole trio together."

"Now that'd be welcome, Harry. Give m' best ta that godson o' mine," Hagrid replied.

Harry closed the door behind him and went to the tent flap and let himself in. He saw the students still sitting on the pillows and Morgotta reclining on a thick carpet. The blocks of peat had almost burned down but the air was still warm and fragrant. The Centaur's expression was unreadable.

"I understand you've concluded your session, Friend Morgotta."

"Indeed, Friend Harry Potter. It was a most informative and worthwhile endeavor and I've expressed my appreciation to your students for their efforts."

"Excellent. Alright, I imagine you can all find your way back to the castle while I consult with the Lore Master. I'll expect the older students to take charge and kept things under control."

He got nods and murmured acknowledgments. When the last of them had left the tent he sat down on a pillow across from Morgotta and said,

"So, how'd it go?"

She looked at him a moment and then said,

"Ah, yes, as you say, it 'went' well. As before they were slow to begin participating but most found opportunities to contribute either asking questions or providing answers to mine. Two of the youngest were a bit difficult at first but once I made it clear I would not countenance any disrespect they simply withdrew."

She saw the look on Harry's face and said,

"I would not worry overmuch, Friend Harry Potter. If the expressions of the older among your students are an indication the situation will be addressed without your intervention."

"Yes, well, that has it's hazards as well. Would you like to continue the effort?" he asked.

"Most certainly. I wonder if at some point we might want to include some of your colleagues, as you call them. There may be much to learn from those with more firmly fixed points of view."

"I'll make that suggestion. I would think there would be more than a few who would find the experience to their interest."

"Excellent. I will not take up anymore of your time today, Friend Harry Potter. I will return to the herd with your tidings and you should be at home with your family," she said, but seemed as if to say more.

"Was there something else?"

"I wished to comment about the young one called Ted Lupin. You are his guardian, yes?" she said.

"We call it 'godfather'. He was raised by his grandmother but I keep an eye on him."

"And provide for his needs, and those of his grandmother, yes? Suffice to say he was most respectful and despite his proclivity for hazardous situations, one senses he will grow to be one worthy of great respect. You have done well by him and he regards you most highly. A fitting example of your concern for your herd. I thought you should know this, or to at least know that others see it," she said, regarding him with those large eyes.

"Thank you, friend Morgotta. His father and mine were close friends and his mother did much to keep me safe during the darkest days. It's the least I could do."

She merely nodded and then rose gracefully and with clasped hands took her leave. Harry followed her out and began walking back towards the castle, knowing Hagrid would see to the tent. Based on the Lore Master's observations he chose not to seek out the students but to wait until Monday to see how the situation evolved. He returned home and spent the rest of the day playing with the boys and answering a number of questions from Albus that grew from the reading he was working on with Abagail. Angus stopped by late in the afternoon in a response to an invitation for dinner and he and Harry spent some time talking more about his chaos based theory of snitch behavior.

This proved to be excellent timing for the next day, El and Charlie stopped by to inform Harry that a special Quidditch match was being negotiated. The word 'negotiated' caught his attention and what was explained was rather extraordinary. Apparently, some time before the Christmas holidays, a discussion took place in the Cauldron that boiled down to the idea that there wasn't a professional seeker in all of Britain that was a match for Harry. Hearing this, Harry could only groan and cover his eyes. Apparently this claim became the topic of discussion in the locker rooms of every Quidditch team in the country and while some greeted it with wry amusement, some took it as a personal affront.

As a result, a challenge was issued, suggesting that a true test of Harry's prowess should be arranged. The idea picked up steam and a number of professionals came forward to play for either side. Harry sat back in his chair and said,

"Wait a minute. Why didn't anyone think to talk to me about this. There is no way that I'm going to go up against a bunch of seasoned professionals just to settle some stupid tavern wager. Who made that bet anyway? Please tell me it wasn't you, Charlie."

"Of course it wasn't me, Harry. I know how you feel about things like that," Charlie replied indignantly.

"Then who?"

"Aidan Lynch. He was in London to talk to those publisher friends of yours about some sort of book deal. He was in the taproom at the Cauldron and a discussion ensued about the health of British and Irish Quidditch. Lynch made the statement that in his considered opinion that the finest Seeker in Britain today was a humble professor at Hogwarts. Well, that started quite an uproar. About half the place was arguing for one or another pro, half the rest were arguing for you and the remainder made comments about this is the kind of thing that happens when you give an Irishman a couple of free pints, but he wouldn't budge. He said that he was glad that he never had to fly against you," Charlie finished.

"Good god, Charlie. This is crazy. Well, it's a question that won't get answered," he said with some heat.

"What won't get answered, sweetheart?" Ginny asked from the living room doorway.

He chose not to answer, he just waved to Charlie to tell him to explain it all. When her brother was finished she walked over to Harry and said,

"That's quite a compliment, Harry. Mr. Lynch has been a big supporter of the camp, can you really turn your back on him now?"

"Oh, not you, too, Ginny."

"Harry," EL said, "there's something else. The idea is to play the match at a professional stadium and donate the proceeds. We thought a split between the scholarship fund and the endowment for the Potter Institute. The amount would be substantial."

"That sounds suspiciously like extortion or bribery to me, El," Harry said, and then he took a deep breath. "And who would play on my side. Angelina and Ginny are out. That's a big hole to fill."

Ginny hugged his shoulders and said,

"Why, thank you, sweetheart."

Charlie smiled and said,

"Well, the idea was me, Bill, Eddie Hillchurch and the remainder of the Irish World Cup Championship team."

"What?" Harry exclaimed.

"Well, Lynch felt responsible for getting the whole thing started. He got hold of his old mates and they were all eager for the chance," Charlie offered.

"Good grief. When was the last time they flew as a team?" Harry asked.

"It's been a few years, I'll grant you, Harry. But remember how much trouble those old pros gave us and Lynch and his gang are younger than that. And they were world champs, Harry. What's that old saying about age and treachery overcoming youth and enthusiasm," Charlie said with a bit of a pained expression.

"Any idea who I'd be flying against?" Harry asked.

"Not yet, Harry. Get a copy of This Week in Quidditch and looks at the team rosters. It will have to be one or more of them," El replied.

"When would this take place?"

"First Saturday in March is the target, maybe the following week," Charlie replied.

"Well, that would give me more time to get used to the new broom Eddie made for me. You know that brings up an interesting issue. An ethical one. You all are aware that I have certain unusual talents as far as flying Seeker is concerned. Wouldn't that be a little bit like cheating?" he asked.

"Harry, most great performers have some sort of edge. Ginny had her smaller size and unnatural quickness that helped her become a pro. Every flier in the pros has to have some sort of edge they were gifted with. Don't give it a thought," Charlie said.

Harry walked over to the big windows overlooking the front garden and the meadow. After a few minutes he let out another long breath and said,

"Alright, I'll do it, but only for the money for the funds. Make whatever arrangements you need to. I still think it's ludicrous but like you say, Lynch stuck his neck out on my behalf."

Later in the day, Harry hauled out his custom broom and took some turns around the meadow. He knew he was going to need more room but it had been a while and he really didn't have a lot of time. When he came back in, Ginny was sitting in the living room with a full tea laid out. Harry sat down and helped himself to a cuppa.

"So how did it feel?" she asked.

"It's really smooth, that's the big difference. I don't think it's really all that much faster on the straight away, but it is better in the turns so maneuvering is better," he told her.

"Well, that should give you an edge," she replied.

"I suppose," he said.

"What's really bothering you about all this, Harry. If I had one of the World Champion chasers say I was the best chaser in Britain today, I'd be ecstatic."

"It's not about being the best, Ginny, not for me. It was about being good at something, and being part of the team. And not being a loser anymore. It's all so silly, really," he said.

"Sweetheart, sometimes we just have to do silly things. And what's silly to us isn't necessarily silly to someone else. I'm sure Aidan Lynch was very sincere in what he had to say."

"Maybe, but I have a very good idea that someone probably made a snarky remark about the quality of Irish Quidditch and he came back with something like, 'Oh yeah, well if English Quidditch is so great, how come your best Seeker is a professor at Hogwarts'. That's more a poke at English pros than a compliment to me."

"Oh, Harry, I'm sure he didn't say it like that at all. Talk about silly," she said, rolling her eyes.

By mid week news of the impending 'charity' match had leaked and was being played up in the sport section of the Daily Prophet. Like Hermione had done, a number of students had the Prophet delivered to them at school, as did some of the faculty. The Hall was buzzing during breakfast, but it was a home day for Harry so he missed it. However, his first class was with the sixth years and the older students were bolder in insisting on some sort of accounting from Harry about what was going on. He put the best face on it he could and suggested that Lynch and others had engaged in some friendly boasting and it got out of hand and someone thought that a match would be a could way to generate some much needed money for good causes.

Based on the expressions of his students he was fairly sure most didn't think it went quite that way, the rest obviously flat out didn't buy what he was trying to sell. He was finally able to get them back to work by reminding them that exams were approaching and a few not so veiled threats concerning trick questions. Many of the students were annoyed that the match wasn't going to be held at Hogwarts but they were somewhat mollified when an announcement was made in the Prophet on that Friday that the match would be broadcast over the Wizardly Wireless Network and the school planned to have the Great Hall set up for those wanting to listen.

Harry did his best to put the match in the light of a celebrity charity event but the students and a large part of the faculty would have none of it. He was being bombarded with encouragement ranging from polite well wishes to exhortations to bury the manky gits. He brought his broom with him and left it in his office. When he had the time he practiced at the stadium since he was more accustomed to the open pitches at the park now. Dunbar Oglethorpe had dropped by shortly after the announcement with a brand new practice snitch. He said there hadn't been this much interest in Quidditch since the World Cup match the summer before Harry's fourth year. Even his practice sessions were drawing small crowds of students who had free periods.

The date had been fixed for the first Saturday in March to be played at the Wimborne Wasps home stadium outside of Wimborne Minister. Harry thought that this was ironic considering his run in with their coach when he first presented his ideas to the Ministry about the camps. But then again the whole endeavour was laced with ironies so why not one more. As the day drew nearer, Harry became more reticent about the whole idea. One afternoon, instead of taking to the cold February skies above the stadium, he decided to go for a walk instead. There as only about six inches of snow on the ground and that was a week old. The path to Hagrid's was clear and he knew there would be little snow under the trees so he would walk the outer fringes of the Forest.

As soon as he passed under the first branches he knew this had been a good idea. It was quiet and as menacing as the Forest could be for some, he found it oddly welcoming. Even the faint buzz of the background energy was like a soothing white noise. He was passing by the clearing where he usually met with his friends among the herd. A familiar voice called out.

"Hail and well met, Serpent King" Zentese said.

"Hail and well met, Honored Elder, Friend Zentese. This is a most pleasant coincidence."

"Hardly a coincidence, Friend Harry Potter. We watch the Forest and it's boundaries closely. Word was sent as soon as you were seen approaching the path. It is my good fortune that I happened to be close by, otherwise you would be speaking with Bane or Ronin. How fare you, Serpent King? We rejoiced at the news of your good fortune," the Elder said.

"Thank you. We are most pleased. It took a bit of convincing but my mate is being most careful after what occurred the last time."

"This is to the good. And you? We are told that you face a significant challenge in a few of your weeks," Zentese said seriously.

"Oh, that. A fools errand if you ask me. The only positive is the fact that a significant amount of money will be raised to support scholarships to Hogwarts and research into medicinal herbology. As to the rest," he simply shrugged.

"It would seem that the end of which you speak is sufficient cause to undertake this effort. Have you not done much before that was similar?"

"Not really, Friend Zentese. In the past I made use of the funds that came to me as inheritance from those that had died. This would be the first time that I've done something of this nature. And certainly the first time I've ever had to try and settle another's boast."

When the Elder looked puzzled Harry explained the full nature of the situation. By the time he was finished the Elder had his arms folded across his chest and his expression was serious.

"For one who is known for his modesty it is indeed a difficult situation. But perhaps another perception might cast it in a different light."

"What might that be, Elder?"

"That of a warrior and a member of the herd. This human called Aidan Lynch, is he a friend?" Zentese asked.

"In a manner of speaking. Not a close one, but he has been to the Quidditch camp on several occasions and has been generous with his time and expertise, so yes, you could say that," Harry replied.

"Then perhaps you should view the contest, not as a proof of your superiority, but as a defense of a member of the herd. He has offered his opinion, one that is favorable to you and now finds himself assailed for it. Your help is required to aid him. As well as all those that would benefit from the resources that would be made available afterward. The great serpent fiercely defends it's territory and prerogatives. The Serpent King would do likewise as well as those that reside within that realm. A Centaur would defend any member of the herd from any outside threat. And Harry Potter has often come to the defense of friend and family, and complete strangers, any number of times. Why is this so different that it concerns you so?"

"Because of the basic premise. That I am the best Seeker in the country."

"But it is not your premise, Friend Harry Potter. It is the premise of your friend and argued by others. Your only concern is the defense of your friend. And of those that would benefit from the results. This need be your only concern," Zentese concluded.

Harry gave this some thought and Zentese watched as the play of emotions played across Harry's face. It was something the usually stone faced Centaurs found fascinating, although they would only admit it among themselves. Finally, Harry's face took a rather determined set and he looked up and the Elder and said,

"There is much wisdom in what you say, Honored Elder, as usual. Thank you for sharing it with me. I will take my leave of you now. There is still much to do to prepare."

Harry exchanged the traditional hand grasp and left the Elder standing in the small clearing. When he was gone, Ronin and Bane drifted out from the trees and came to stand on either side of the Elder who said,

"If one reads the Serpent King correctly, those he will face will have a difficult time of it."

Ronin nodded but Bane rumbled,

"If you are correct, Elder, they will be lucky to escape with their twigs intact."

The Elder turned and looked at one of his proteges with a cocked eyebrow. Then they turned and moved deeper into the forest. Harry was moving out of the Forest at a quick walk. The words of the Elder had struck a cord with that part of his combined consciousness that he had previously associated with his 'dragon self'. It was, in a word, annoyed. Annoyed with the world and annoyed with himself. His friend had made an observation, perhaps a boast of sorts and others in their vanity had escalated the whole matter to ridiculous proportions and dragged him into it. And he was annoyed with himself that he had not immediately risen to the defense of that friend, instead carping on about the silliness of it all. He didn't care who was the best, but he did care deeply that one of his own was being attacked on his behalf. That was not to be countenanced.

He still had time before leaving for home so he went to his office, got his broom and headed for the stadium. This didn't go unnoticed and fairly quickly a sizable group was following along at a discreet distance. Once inside he mounted the broom and floated up until he was at the usual start position for a match. He took out the practice snitch and following Dunbar's instructions pressed the spot that started the device and also set the difficulty level. Once for basic, twice for intermediate, a third time for professional level and a rarely used fourth would get you World Cup play. Harry clicked it three times and then a little nudge from inside his head prompted the fourth.

"Alright, big fellow, it's your game then," he said quietly to himself.

He released the snitch and it seemed to disappear. He closed his eyes and though of the small golden winged ball and it appeared hovering directly behind the tall goal post to his right. Without really thinking about it he made a sharp right and was streaking across the pitch. The chase was on. Those on the ground began cheering as Harry locked onto the snitch and pursued it through a wild ride of climbs, dives and turns, some seemingly as tight as a fish hook, others wide and sweeping covering all of the pitch and some of the area beyond. It couldn't shake him.

Not only were the flying instincts of the dragon coming into play, melding with the modified Firebolt, but the theories of Angus' about the patternless patterns seemed to well up from the old deep thinker and he was moving before the snitch was. The small crowd in the stands were reduced to stunned silence. What they were seeing was beyond their experience and they had no words to express what they were thinking and feeling.

Harry finally decided it was time to call it a day so he followed along behind waiting for what he felt sure was coming. Just before it did he pulled up into a near vertical climb with the snitch doing likewise an instant later. Not wishing to repeat the mistake that cost him a broken hand the last time, he stayed to one side of the streaking gold orb and urged the Firebolt flat out, adding a push of his own and he sailed by grabbing the orb just as it reversed course. The impact was not enough to break bones but it did spin him around and had him pointed toward the ground. He dove for half the distance and then pulled out and came in the rest of the way in a steep spiral.

By the time he had landed on the grass by the entrance tunnel the small crowd had gathered to meet him. No said anything at first but then a third year wizard he recognized as Smithers said,

"Bloody unbelievable, Professor. If word of this gets out to those blighters there won't be any match."

"Well, then, Mr. Smithers, we better keep this to ourselves. At least until we have our hands on all that money for the scholarships and so on," Harry said with a small smile.

Everyone nodded and Harry led them back to the castle so he could stow the broom back in his office before heading for home, feeling a bit better about the whole thing, and more at peace with himself. So it was that on the morning of the big match he woke up feeling determined, not anxious. He was comfortable with the new broom now and he was ready for what was to come. Ginny had insisted on going along but the kids would stay at home. They would be joined by most of the other Weasley clan youngsters, watched over by Fleur, Angelina and Molly Weasley. They were all going to listen to the broadcast on a radio provided by Arthur, who was going to be at the match itself, along with El, Percy, Audrey, and George. Victoire had stubbornly insisted she be allowed to watch her papa and uncle teach these silly people a lesson.

The people sitting in the VIP tower seats were shoulder to shoulder, including in one, the entire current British National Team. Those standing in the lower sections were packed in like sardines. As Harry viewed this from their entry area he had to be impressed. This was going to raise serious cash for the school. Team Britannia, as the professionals had named themselves were being introduced and were starting to circle the field. It took a bit of thinking to come up with a name for Harry and his mates and it was an accident that gave them one that pretty much summed up his view of the proceedings. The announcer had finished with the introduction of Team Britannia and he was set to start with theirs.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, facing Team Britannia today is, um, well, The Other Guys, featuring the entire Irish World Cup champs, Troy, Mullet, Moran, Ryan, Quigley, Connolly and Lynch."

As the champs headed out into the air a huge cheer erupted and just as Lynch was about to exit he gave Harry a wink and a thumbs up.

"And rounding out The Other Guys team, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Eddie Hillchurch and flying Seeker for today's match, Harry Potter!"

Whatever spell was used to keep the sound of the stadium from reaching the ears of muggles must have been strained to the point of failure at this point. This was sound you could feel, like the slap in the chest from a big firework going off. He took the customary turn around the pitch and came to a hover in the usual spot for a starting Seeker. Bill, Charlie, Eddie and Aidan Lynch dropped down as did the substitutes for Team Britannia. In essence, Harry was flying Seeker for the former World Cup champs and he had to admit to himself, it was bloody brilliant.

When the referee saw that all was ready he opened the box and the balls were released. He smiled a bit. A pro snitch, but not a World Cup one. He was off like a shot and the match began. Now for those folks that were listening to the match over the WWN, what they missed in visuals was almost made up for in the frantic shouted description by not one but three separate announcers over the course of the match, the first two having worn out their voices. They had plenty to shout about. On the lower level of the game, that is to say, the point scoring, the former members of the world cup team were playing like they had never been apart. The chasers, Troy, Mullet and Moran, were weaving complex patterns of attack supported by uncannily accurate strikes by their two beaters, Quigley and Connolly. Ryan, the Keeper, seemed to appear out of nowhere to grab a Quaffle that seemed to be a sure goal.

Above, below and around them, Harry was putting on a show for the ages. No matter what the snitch did, he was on it's tail. Logic would dictate that the much lighter snitch with it's much lower inertia should have been able to easily out maneuver the much larger wizard on his broom. But apparently no told Harry about this. The listeners were being regaled with shouted descriptions of his maneuverings, punctuated by the roars of the massive crowd.

"There he goes, Ladies and Gentlemen. I've never seen such a lively, tricky snitch but Harry Potter is right with it and yes, oh, not sure what happened there, thought he'd have it but it just slipped away but there he goes, rocketing across the pitch right behind. Folks, I wish you could see what I'm seeing her today. Professor Potter is doing things in the air that seem to defy all we know about broom flying and, oh, oh, did you see that, I'm sorry but how could you. Harry Potter was flat out and performed a flawless Potter bootleg at full speed. Why his brains aren't in his boots is beyond me but he has left the Team Britannia Seeker a full half the length of the pitch behind. Unbelievable, simply unbelievable.

"Ah, there's another score for The Other Guys. My friends, if you were privileged to witness the World Cup match between Ireland and Bulgaria as I was you'd know that the six members of the Irish National team currently in the air have lost none of their edge, or their love of the game. Team Britannia is putting up a brilliant challenge but they are now fifty points down. Wait, what's going on up there, it looks like Harry Potter is in a power dive, dear me he's streaking toward the pitch surface, too fast, much too fast, OH MY WORD, what a turn, Ladies and Gentlemen, Harry Potter just pulled out of dive into a flat sweeping turn in what appeared to be the length of a broom. How is this possible? Is it possible? I know this may sound like a stupid thing to say but I will say it anyway. This is sheer magic, folks, sheer magic."

And it went on like that for over three hours. Part way through, Team Britannia went to their reserve Seeker, hoping a rested flier would have some advantage, figuring that Harry had to be getting tired. Had anyone been able to see inside his head they would have recognized the futility of such reasonable logic. He was flying on instinct and the joy of flying. His moves were dictated by eons of flight evolution and the influence of chaotic snitch theory. And his vision was enhanced by the slitted pupils that improved his view above and below. Thankfully his slightly tinted goggles kept this enhancement a secret.

Someone must have been getting tired because around the three hour mark one of the Team Britannia Chasers slammed heavily into the front of one of the VIP towers. The referee whistled a stop to the play so that the man could be removed from the pitch. All the fliers took advantage and swooped in for a quick break. Harry jumped off in front of Aidan Lynch and the Irish Seeker exclaimed,

"Glory be, Harry, I've never seen the likes of that before. I know what I said that got all this started but I didn't know the half of it."

"Thanks, Aidan. That means a lot coming from you. So, you want to give it a go?" Harry asked.

"What are you talkin' about, Harry?"

"I could use a break. Go on in. Would you like to try out my Firebolt?" he added.

Lynch stood there a moment and then a look came over him and he smiled broadly.

"'tis a fine gentlemen ya are, Harry, and no mistakin'. Aye, I'll give it go," the Irish seeker said, pulling on his gloves, his goggles and taking up Harry's broom.

He was airborne in an instant and he received pumping fist salutes from his teammates as they took position for the restart of play. The third announcer took up the play by play.

"Alright, listeners, it appears, yes, Harry Potter has come out of the match and Aidan Lynch is now in as Seeker. Team Britannia now faces the entire Irish World Cup Champions. What a treat for us all, folks. And there go the balls, and Lynch is off. Look at him go, it seems to this announcer that Lynch is using Harry Potters Firebolt. What a gesture on the part of Professor Potter. And what a privilege for me to be your eyes for this once in a lifetime event."

As the three brothers and their friend watched the match from the sideline Charlie looked over at Harry and said,

"You still look pretty fresh there, Harry. You could have flown all day. Whats going on?"

"I figure I made my point, Charlie. Why be selfish? When will they get another chance to play a match like this again? Plus I think it will do Aidan good. I got the feeling he was a little upset the way things went," Harry said as he watched the match.

Charlie looked over at Bill and they both smiled and shook their heads. Close to the end of the fourth hour of play Lynch was in a steep power dive, the snitch just ahead of him and the Team Britannia Seeker was closing on an intercept course when to everyone's shock and amazement, Lynch executed a perfect barrel roll over his opponent and made the grab as the snitch swerved directly into his path. The stadium exploded. The Great Hall at Hogwarts was filled with thunder. Despite being predominately British, the student body had sided with The Other Guys. Professor Potter was one of theirs and the rest were his mates. That was enough.

While Team Britannia settled to the ground across the Pitch the victors took a few laps goaded on by their teammates from the ground. Above all the cheering Harry looked at the others and said,

"I'm sorry you guys didn't get a chance to play at all."

"No worries, Harry," Bill yelled back. "I had free field level seats for a match I'd have paid a year's salary to watch from the worst seats in the stadium."

"Too bloody right, mate," Eddie said, "and you just made me fortune, Harry. When word gets out that that was my work ya was ridin' I'll be set for life."

Harry smiled. You couldn't argue with that kind of reasoning. When the rest of the team came in for a landing there was a great deal of hugging and back clapping and Harry event got a kiss from each of the Irish witches. Lynch was grinning from ear to ear.

"Harry, in truth, I don't know what was the finer thing. Grabbin' that snitch or flyin' this marvel," he said, holding out the Firebolt for Harry to reclaim, which he did.

"Well, allow me to introduce you to it's creator. Eddie did the modifications."

Lynch looked at Eddie and said,

"Is that right?"

"It is."

"Well, my friend, after this all quiets down, we are goin' to have a little chat. I think the Irish National Team just found some new brooms."

Any further conversation was interrupted by the sports writer for the Daily Prophet. Questions were asked, answers were given and above it all the crowed continued to roar. Finally, several officials appeared and asked that the winners take a few victory laps or the crowd would never go home. The brothers Weasley and Eddie demurred but literally sat Harry on his broom and pushed him off to fly with the Champs. He and Aidan took the lead and with an unspoken signal began to do a little stunt flying, much to the delight of the crowd. Then they finally landed and after some more hugs and promises for getting together soon, everyone Disapparated from the field.

Harry, Bill and Charlie were greeted with much fanfare when they arrived home. It took a while to get through all the hugs, back slaps and expressions of pride and admiration. Molly Weasley was especially proud of how Harry had let Lynch take the final part of the match. They finally got to the living room and were soon joined by those that were in the stands.

"The most amazing thing I've ever seen, Harry," Percy said. "But I could swear that there were a few times where you could have grabbed the snitch and ended things early."

"Yeah, I thought so, too," Bill said.

Harry shrugged.

"What would be the point of that, other than to thumb my nose at the other team. People paid hard earned Galleons to see this match. I thought they deserved some value for that money. Besides, I was having too much fun to end it like that."

"And it didn't hurt matters that it gave you a chance to make those other seekers look positively inept," El offered.

"Oh, come on, El, it wasn't that bad," Harry protested. "They were keeping up pretty well."

"Harry, don't give me that," El replied. "Those two spent nearly the whole time chasing after you. There's a big difference between keeping up and chasing after and you know it."

He just smiled again. Nibs announced that a buffet dinner would be ready by six o'clock, which added to the party like atmosphere, which was further enhanced when all seven members of the Irish World Cup team appeared on their doorstep, having received an invitation and directions. It was a perfect ending to a great day. The next morning Harry woke up alone. He showered, dressed and walked into the kitchen to find his family already at breakfast.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. I thought I'd let you have a lie in after last night. Did you really think it was a good idea to play a game of pick up Quidditch over the meadow in the dark?" she asked.

"Yup, and so did everyone else who played," he replied with a grin.

Abagail was reading the Sunday edition of the Prophet. She looked up at Harry and said,

"Nearly the whole thing is about yesterday's match, Harry. And it looks like they are playing it straight up. Guess they figure they'd have the place burned down around them if they took a go at you."

"Oh, that would be terrible," Harry said as he sat down. "I don't think I could condone arson. Stoning maybe, but not arson."

The young witch laughed and then shook her head.

"Some interesting comments from people in this article, including you," she offered.

"Oh, yeah, what did I say? It was kind of chaotic for awhile."

"Let's see. When asked what had you had hoped to gain from the match you replied, 'I hope to separate a large amount of money from a large number of people to support some very good causes'. Oh, Harry," Abagail said reproachfully.

"Go on and without the editorial comments," he prodded.

"Alright, when asked further about the root cause of the match you replied, "Oh, that. Who really cares? And as it turned out, today the best Seeker in the U.K. happened to be an Irishman named Lynch."

"Well said, Harry," Ginny murmured.

"Let's see, that was about it for you. Oh, here's Aidan Lynch. When asked what had he meant by his comment regarding the best seeker in Britain, Mr. Lynch replied, "The bloody point I was tryin' to make was that Quidditch players are just people, not some kind of gods to be revered or worshiped. The people I was talkin' to were carryin' on about this one or that as if they were on some higher plane or somethin'. So I asked the question, if we're so high and mighty, why is it that the best seeker in all of Britain is a professor at Hogwarts teaching magic to our kids instead of making tons of cash playing for a pro team. That's what I said, and that's what I meant'. When pressed to explain how his comment resulted in the match, he replied somewhat testily, 'Go ask them fellers on the other side of the pitch, it was their idea," Abagail recited.

Ginny laughed and said,

"He's hard not to like, isn't he, Harry?"

"Yes, but I imagine there are a few folks not real pleased with him today," Harry replied.

"Ohh, here's a beauty, Harry," Abagail said excitedly. "When asked what she thought about the events of the day, the seeker for the British National Team said, 'I think the results speak for themselves and if Team Britannia and their cohorts had any sense they'd attend the next Quidditch camp at Hogwarts. I know we'll all be there.' Wow, Harry, the entire National team is coming to your camp."

Harry nodded and said,

"Bill and Charlie will be very happy."

Mother and daughter rolled their eyes at each other and Abagail continued.

"She goes on to say, 'I didn't want to have anything to do with this when I first caught wind of it, but since it's a benefit for some very worthy causes we decided to come and I'm glad we did. We got a chance to see true genius here today, and I for one am very glad I won't have to ever fly against him'. That's amazing. Harry, if she's the Seeker for the National Team wouldn't that sort of make her the best seeker in the country?"

"That's the idea, little one."

"But she just said that..."

"I heard what you read. It's still a load of rubbish. I'm just glad we were able to raise all the money."

Abagail got up and came around and gave Harry a big hug and whispered something in his ear. Ginny added her arms to the mini scrum and Harry's cheeks soon had a number of lip prints that set off his admirers into gales of laughter. He thought as he got up to wash his face at the sink that no matter how high he might rise in life, these two would make it impossible to get a swelled head. The rest of the day passed quietly if one ignored the steady stream of messages arriving by owl. Kreacher wisely set them aside and delivered them on the hour.

The following morning Harry chose to have breakfast at home so it wasn't until his first class that he was able to gauge the impact the match had on the student body. As they marched in they headed straight for his desk on the raised platform and poured out congratulatory and complimentary comments. Harry spent nearly thirty minutes discussing the match with them and then finally shooed them to their seats. It was much the same for the remainder of the day, not to mention the applause that broke out when he walked into the Great Hall for lunch. He was beginning to think that maybe it was a good thing that Ginny and Abagail saw fit to remind him just how quickly they could let the air out of his head.

It took several days for the excitement to pass but Harry was usually able to hold the threat of approaching exams over their heads to get them back on track. A bit of excitement did intrude on Harry near the very end of Winter. He was spending a quiet evening at home after a day at Hogwarts when Dingle announced the arrival of Ron Weasley and Anthony Goldstein. When they entered the library they looked tired and somewhat disheveled but they were smiling.

"We got him, Harry. The old director of Mysteries."

"How? Where?"

"Your suggestion about getting help from Abagail paid off," Ron said as Harry gestured to chairs near his and they all sat down. "The first time around she was able to confirm that he was bouncing between those four safe houses, remember?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I wasn't able to come up with anything for you."

"Harry, come on, we had nearly a dozen people trying to work it out. Don't worry about it. Anyway, after checking out those places at the public Quidditch park and coming up empty, Mr. Milligan decided to try again with Abagail. With one of the people she came across she found a hint that our target was due back at one of the other four houses. We didn't know which one so we staked out all four of them out. He showed up this morning at the one up near the moors," Ron explained.

"He give up quietly?" Harry asked.

"Not really. We had mobilized the Specials and I guess he panicked when he saw that he was surrounded. We aren't sure what he was trying to due but it looked like he blew the house down on top of himself," Ron said.

"He's dead?"

"Afraid so, Harry," Anthony said. "Tons of building stones falling on you has a way of doing that to you."

"What about the other people? The ones who own the house," Harry asked with concern.

"We cleared out all the rubble and found nobody else. We don't know if it was a second home or they were just staying away. We'll pick them up and find out."

Harry stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the night sky.

"So that's it then. The last of Tom Riddle's confederates. The end of an era, I guess," he said as he turned to face his two friends.

"That's a way to look at it, Harry," Ron said, "or you could say it's the end of a job well done and the last of the rubbish taken out."

"Yeah, that would be another way," Harry said wit a small smile.

"Anyway, we need to be getting back, Harry. We need to bring in those that were hiding him and find out if it was voluntary or under duress. Abagail is going to help us there. We're going to need to do something for her after we're done. Mr. Milligan wanted you to know about it before it hit the papers. We'll see you later, Harry," Ron said as he and Anthony stood up.

"Tell him I appreciate the consideration," he said and then walked them to the door.

He walked back into the library and moved to the window again. It had been more than ten years since the fall of Voldemort and it looked to be finally done. He had to wonder though, if that was what Professor Dumbledore thought when he had overcome Grindelwald, only to have Tom Riddle rear his ugly head. He stood by the window for some time considering this. By the next morning he had overcome the momentary melancholy and returned to school ready to make the final push to exams and the end of another term.

The final weeks proceeded smoothly. The sixth year projects had turned out well, with the exception of the plant hybridization project. It was not an actual failure, but it had taken so long to get the two plants to come together that they were unable to determine if the basic premise was still sound, that is, could the heavy aromatics of the one distribute the symptom relieving attributes of the other. Harry decremented their grade only a bit since they did make some significant finds in how to overcome reluctant plant life.

Two days before the end of the year, Harry received a message that Professor McGonagall wanted to see him in her office directly after the last exam he had to proctor. He was done by mid afternoon and made his way to the spiral staircase which was already open and waiting. He climbed up and when he entered the outer waiting area he heard his name called from the Head's actual office. As he appeared in the doorway, the Headmistress waved him in.

"Please, Professor Potter, be seated," she said with smile.

"Professor McGonagall, you can call me Harry, you know."

"I'm aware of that, Professor, but I had to work long and hard to get you to wear that title, so forgive me if I try to use it as often as possible," she answered.

"Yes, ma'am. And for the record, I'm very grateful that you were so persistent. This is where I belong."

"Yes, Harry, we've always thought so," she said, indicating the portraits on the wall around the office.

Oddly enough, the one for Albus Dumbledore was empty, but he chose not to mention it.

"Harry, I asked you here today because I wanted you to hear this directly from me. I will be retiring as Headmistress of Hogwarts at the end of this year."

Harry sat regarding the Headmistress with wide eyes.

"You mean in three days?" he asked.

"More or less. I will announce it at the end of year feast effective immediately upon the departure of the Express for London," she replied calmly.

"Is this because of the illness?"

"More so the recovery. While I'm assured that no trace of the illness remains, it is obvious that my recovery has not been all it was hoped to be. It leaves me unable to adequately execute the duties of the Head of Hogwarts. The students and faculty deserve more," she explained.

"Couldn't you just take a sabbatical and come back when you're better?" he asked, almost pleading.

"I'm afraid not, Harry. The Healers tell me this is about as good as it will be. Some extended sleep will help a bit but not nearly enough. It's time, Harry."

Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was not someone he could talk out of a decision, nor was it appropriate for him to try. So he went a different way.

"I appreciate the consideration, Professor. I've always had the impression that you showed me more than the usual concern a teacher would have for a student."

Professor McGonagall laughed a little and said,

"Right from the beginning, Harry. And sometimes more than for all the other students combined. And I'm pleased to say that it was worth effort. You have exceeded our wildest hopes and leave me with great confidence for the future."

"Our?"

"Of course," she said, gesturing to the empty portrait frame.

Harry merely nodded. The he asked,

"So Professor Sprout will be taking over as Head?"

"Acting at first, but I don't imagine the Board objecting to making it permanent, but they won't meet until the beginning of August."

"It won't be the same, ma'am, but I look forward to working for her. She was one of my favorites when I was student," he said.

"I'm very pleased to hear you say that, Harry, because there's more. When Professor Sprout takes over as Acting Head, you'll be acting as her Deputy."

"Excuse me?"

"I believe that was fairly straight forward, Harry. When I retire you become Acting Deputy Head with the intention of it being made permanent."

"But Professor, I'm the youngest, least experienced instructor on the faculty. How could you possibly think I'm the right person for the job?" he asked, rather anxiously.

Harry was suddenly aware of an absence of noise. When he entered, there was a great deal of snoring, most of it fake. Now it was perfectly quiet.

"Harry," the Headmistress said, leaning back in her chair gingerly, "while you may lack years compared to the others, you possess a range of experience that far surpasses anyone associated with this school in centuries. Even Albus said you have touched aspects of magic he wouldn't have even considered existed. Not to mention your time at the Ministry that demonstrated a talent for leadership and organizational skills suitable for the office. Rest easy, Professor Potter," she continued with a wry grin, "none of the other staff consider themselves ill used in this. Some even suggested it would make sense to put you directly into the Heads position, including Professor Sprout, but we thought it would appear a bit rash."

"Just a bit," Harry added.

"Harry, you have demonstrated at every turn your ability to rise to new challenges and perform beyond expectations. This will be no different. I think we've discussed this enough. Take the rest of the day to let it soak in and tomorrow morning at nine o'clock you and I and Professor Sprout will meet here and discuss the particulars."

"Yes, ma'am, and if I've never said it before, thank you, for everything."

"You're very welcome. And thank you, Harry, for being there when we needed you, every time."

With a final smile and nod he left the room, still feeling slightly stunned. He walked down to the front door and out into the warm afternoon sun. He wound up on the bench that he liked to use when he wanted to sit and think. Deputy Head and he wasn't thirty yet. And that implied that at some point he would likely wind up..., but he shook his head and left the thought unfinished. One step at a time. He began by thinking how he'd break the news to Ginny and rest. As he worked on this, the sound of hooves clattering on the stones of the walkway behind him interrupted him.

"Well met, Friend Harry Potter."

"Well met, Firend Firenze."

When the Centaur Divination professor moved around in front of him he saw the usually dour expression actually possessed a slight smile.

"I believe congratulations are in order."

"So you know, do you?" Harry asked.

"Of course, the entire faculty is aware and very supportive," Firenze said as he settled down onto the grass in front of the bench.

"How come I didn't hear anything about this until now?"

"Come now, Serpent King. Who are more adept at secret keeping then magic users? And since you are here only two nights out of seven, it was easy to hold discussions when you were absent," Firenze said.

"Ah, I hadn't considered that."

"You appear somewhat confounded, Friend Harry Potter. Are you not pleased at this eventuality?"

"Let's say it's an idea that will take some getting used to. It's like the Department of Magical Law Enforcement all over again," he answered.

"Then why is there cause for concern? You've done it before and quite successfully, I understand. Is not experience the best teacher?"

Harry looked into the face of his most unusual friend and had to nod his agreement. They sat quietly for a few moments and then Harry said,

"So much change is so short a time. A few weeks ago it was the end of the last vestige of Tom Riddle's legacy, and now this."

"It is often the way, is it not?" Firenze replied.

"Yes, but it doesn't make it any less disconcerting when it happens."

It was Firenze's turn to nod in agreement, then ask,

"So, Friend Harry Potter, how shall you proceed?"

Harry paused a moment and then said,

"I guess I'll move forward, and keep trying to prove worthy of all the good fortune that has come to me."

Firenze looked at his most unusual friend and without any outward indication of his shock, wondered why such a thought would even occur to the Serpent King. In fact a great many thoughts were occurring to the Serpent King and would for a long time to come.

This concludes "Professor Potter". In the coming months, a new story, leapfrogging some years into the future will begin, emphasizing the Weasley clan offspring more strongly. Thank you for your continued interest in this story.


End file.
